I delivered from these thoughts by the late either more sound or more maimed Editions of them And the truth is the corruption and fiction of Epistolical Writings in the first Ages was so intolerable as that very little in that kind is preserved sincere and unquestionable Hence Dionysius the Bishop of Corinth complained that in his own time his own Epistles were so corrupted by additions and detractions so as that it seems he would have them no more esteemed as his Euseb. Ecclesiast Hist. lib. 4. cap. 22. But yet because these Epistles are so earnestly contended for by many Learned men as the genuine Writings of Ignatius I shall not pass by the consideration of them as unto the Argument in hand I do therefore affirm that in these Epistles in any Edition of them there is no mention made or Descâ—iption given of any Church or Churches state but only of that which is Congregational that is such a Church as all the Members whereof did meet and were obliged to meet for Divine Worship and Discipline in the same place What was the Distinction they observed among their Officers of what fort they were and what number belongs not unto our present enquiry our concernment is only this that they did preside in the same particular Church and were none of them Bishops of more Churches than one or of any Church that should consist of a Collection or Association of such particular Churches as had no Bishops properly so called of their own All these Epistle that is the seven most esteemed were written as that of Clemens unto the Bodies or whole fraternity of the Churches unto whom they are directed in distinction from their Bishops Elders and Deacons excepting only that unto Polycarpus which is unto a single person Under that consideration namely of the entire fraternity in distinction from their Officers doth he address unto them and therein doth he ascribe and assign such Duties unto them as could not be attended unto nor performed but in the Assembly of them all Such is the direction he gives unto the Church of the Philadelphians how and in what manner they should receive penitents returning unto the Church that they might be encouraged into that Duty by their Benignity and Patience And many things of the like nature doth he deal with them about And this Assembling together in the same place namely of the whole Church he doth frequenâ—ly intimate and express Some instances hereof we may repeat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meet all of you together in the same place let there be one Prayer in common of all Epist. ad Magnes This direction can be given unto no other but a particular Church And again to the Philadelphians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where your Pastor is there follow you as sheep And how they may do so is declared immediately afterwards 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I write with confidence unto your Godly Love and perswade you to use one Faith or the confession of it one Preaching of the Word and one Eucharist or Administration of the holy Sacrament For the flesh of Christ is one and the Blood of Christ that was shed for us in one one Bread is broken to all and one Cup distributed among all there is one Altar to the whole Church and one Bishop with the Presbytery and the Deacons my fellow servants Nothing can be more evident than that it is a particular Church in its Order and Assembly for Worship in one place that he describes nor can these things be accommodated unto a Church of any other form And towards the end of the Epistle treating about the Churches sending their Bishops or others on their occasions he tells them in particular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It becometh you as a Church of God to choose or appoint a Bishop who may perform the Embassy of God that it may be granted unto them to glorifie the name of God being gathered together in one place It is somewhat difficult how the Church of Philadelphia should choose or ordain a Bishop at this time For they had one of their own whom Ignatius greatly extols in the beginning of the Epistle Nor was it in their power or duty to choose or ordâ—in a Bishop for the Church of Antioch which was their own right and duty alone nor had the Church of Antioch any the least dependance on that at Philadelphia It may be he intends only their Assistance therein as immediately before he ascribes the peace and tranquillity of the Antiochians unto the Prayers of the Philadelphians For my part I judge he intends not the proper Bishop of either place but some Elder which they were to choose as a Messenger to send to Antioch to assist them in their present condition For in those days there were persons chosen by the Churches to be sent abroad to assist other Churches on the like occasions These were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 8.23 the especial Apostles of the Churches as vers 19. it is said of Luke that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chosen and appointed by the Churches for the service there mentioned Such was this Bishop who was sent on Gods Errand to assist the Church by his Advice and Counsel as unto the continuance of their Assemblies unto the glory of God though at present their Bishop was taken from them In that Epistle unto the Ephesians he lets them know that he rejoyced at their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their numerous Multitude whom he perswades and urgeth unto a common concurrence in Prayer with their Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And if the Prayers of one or two be so effectual that they bring Christ among them how much more will the consenting Prayer of the Bishop and the whole Church together So he again explains his mind towards the end of the Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Do your diligence to meet together frequently for when you frequently meet together in the same place the powers of Sathan are destroyed And many other expressions of the like nature occur in those Epistles We are no way at present concerned in the controversie about that distinction of Bishops and Presbyters which the Writer of those Epistles doth assert this only I say that he doth in none of them take the least notice or give the least intimation of any Church-state but such alone wherein the Members of the whole Church did constantly meet together in the same place for the worship of God and Communion among themselves And not only so but he every where in all his Epistles to them ascribes such Duties and Rights unto the Churches as cannot be observed and preserved but in particular Churches only Nor doth he leave any room for any other Church-state whatever Although therefore there might have been and probably there was some Alterations in the Order of the Churches from what was of Primitive Institution yet was there as yet no such change in
believe that in this Context our Lord Jesus Christ designed to set up and erect an Earthly Domination in and over his Churches to be administred by the Rules of the Canon Law and the Rota at Rome They must be spiritually mad and ridiculous who can give the least entertainment unto such an Imagination Nor can the Discipline of any Diocesan Churches administred in and by Courts and Officers foreign to the Scripture both name and thing be brought within the view of this Rule nor can all the Art of the World make any application of it thereunto For what some plead concerning Magistrates or Arbitrators they are things which men would never betake themselves unto but only to evade the force of that Truth which they love not All this is fallen out by mens departing from the Simplicity of the Gospel and a contempt of that sense of the words of the Lord Jesus which is plain and obvious unto all who desire not only to hear his words but also to observe his Commands 3 dly Our third Argument is taken from the Nature of the Churches â—nstituted by the Apostles and their Order as it is expressed in the Scripture For they were all of them Congregational and of no other sort This the ensuing Considerations will make evident 1. There were many Churches planted by the Apostles in very small Provinces Not to insist on the Churches of Galatia Gal. 1.1 concerning which it is no where intimated that they had any one Head or Mother Church Metropolitical or Diocesan Nor of those of Macedonia distinct from that of Philippi whereof we have spoken before upon the first coming of Paul after his Conversion unto Jerusalem which was three years Gal. 1.18 in the Fourth year after the Ascension of Christ there were Churches planted in all Judea and Galilee and Samaria Act. 9.31 Neither of the two latter Provinces was equal unto one Ordinary Diocess Yet were there Churches in both of them and that in so short a time after the first Preaching of the Gospel as that it is impossible they should be conceived to be any other but single Congregations What is excepted or opposed hereunto by the Reverend Dr. St. shall be examined and disproved afterwards by itself that the Progress of our Discourse be not here interrupted 2. These Churches were such as that the Apostles appointed in them Ordinary Elders and Deacons that might administer all Ordinances unto the whole Church and take care of all the poor Act. 14.23 chap. 20.28 Now the Care Inspection and Labour of Ordinary Officers can extend itself no further than unto a particular Congregation No man can administer all Ordinances unto a Diocesan Church And this ordaining Elders in every Church is the same with ordaining them in every City Tit. 1.5 that is in every Town wherein there was a Number converted unto the Faith as is evident from Act. 14.23 And it was in Towns and Cities ordinarily that the Gospel was first preached and first received Such Believers being congregated and united in the Profession of the same Faith and subiection unto the Authority of Christ did constitute such a Church-State as it was the Will of Christ they should have Bishops or Elders and Deacons ordained amongst them and were therefore as unto their State such Churches as he owned 3. It is said of most of these Churches expresly that they respectively met together in one place or had their Assemblies of the whole Church for the discharge of the Duties required of them which is peculiar unto Congregational Churches only so did the Church at Jerusalem on all occasions Act. 15.12 22. ch â—1 22 see ch 5.11 ch 6.1 It is of no force which is objecteâ— from the Multitude of them that are said to believe and so consequently were of that Church so as that they could not assemble together For whereas the Scripture says expresly that the multitude of the Church did come together it is scarce fair for us to to say they were such a multitude as that they could not come together And it is evident that the great numbers of Believers that are said to be at Jerusalem were there only occasionally and were not fixed in that Church For many years after a small Village beyond Jordan could receive all that were so fixed in it The Church at Antioch gathered together in one Assembly Act. 14.27 to hear Paul and Silas This Church thus called together is called the Multitude chap. 15.30 that is the whole Brotherhood at least of that Church The whole Church of Corinth did assemble together in one place both for solemn Worship and the exercise of Discipline 1 Cor. 8.8 chap. 14.25 26. chap. 11.17 20. It is no way necessary to plead any thing in the illustration or for the Confirmation of these Testimonies They all of them speak positively in a matter of fact which will admit of no debate unless we will put in exceptions unto the Veracity of their Authors And they are of themselves sufficient to establish our Assertion For whatever may be the state of any Church as unto its Officers or Rule into what order soever it be disposed ordinarily or occasionally for its Edification so long as it is its Duty to assemble in and with all its Members in one place either for the exercise of its Power the Performance of its Duty or Enjoyments of its Priviledges it is a single Congregation and no more 4. The Duties prescribed unto all Church Members in the writings of the Apostles to be diligently attended unto by them are such as either in their Nature or the manner of their performance cannot be attended unto and duly accomplished but in a particular Congregation only This I shall immediately speak distinctly unto and therefore only mention it in this place These things being so plainly positively and frequently asserted in the Scripture it cannot be questionable unto any impartial-mind but that particular Churches or Congregations are of Divine Institution and consequently that unto them the whole Power and Priviledge of the Church doth belong for if they do not so whatever they are Churches they are not If therefore any other Church-State be Supposed we may well require that its Name Nature Use Power and Bounds be some or all of them declared in the Scripture Reasonings drawn from the Superiority of the Apostles above the Evangelists of Bishop above Presbyters or from Church Rule in the hands of the Officers of the Church only from the power of the Christian Magistrate in things Ecclesiastical from the Meetness of Union among all Churches are of no use in this case For they are all consistent with the Sole Institution of particular Congregations nor do in the least intimate that there is or needs to be any other Church State of Divine Appointment CHAP. V. The Sate of the First Churches after the Apostles to the end of the Second Century IN Confirmation of the foregoing Argument we urge the President and
duely discharged the Office of Episcopacy Other distinction and difference of ordinary Officers besides that of Bishops or Elders and Deacons the Church at Rome in those days knew not Such ought to be in every particular Church Of any one single person to preside over many Churches which is necessary unto the Constitution of a Church-state distinct from that which is Congregational Clemens knew nothing in his days but gives us such a description of the Church and its order as is inconsistent with such a pretence 6. I shall add no more from this excellent Epistle but only the account given in it of the first constitution of Officers in the Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our Apostles therefore knowing by our Lord Jesus Christ that there would contention arise about the name of Episcopacy that is Episcopacy itself For this cause being indued with a perfect foresight of things they appointed those fore-mentioned their first Converts unto the Office of the Ministry for the future describing or giving order about the course of the Ministry that other approved men might succeed them in their Ministry These Elders therefore who were so appointed by them and afterwards by other famous men with the consent of the whole Church c. Sundry things we may observe in this Discourse 1. The Apostles foresaw there would be strife and contention about the name of Episcopacy that is the Office itself and those who should possess it This Episcopacy was that Office which the deposed Elders had well discharged in the Church of Corinth This they might foresee from the nature of the thing itself the inclination of men unto preheminence and the instance they had seen in their own days in such as Diotrephes with the former Divisions that had been in this very Church about their Teachers 1 Cor. 1.12 But moreover they were instructed in the knowledge of it by our Lord Jesus Christ through his Divine Spirit abiding with them and teaching them all things This therefore they sought by all means to prevent and that two ways 1. In that for the first time themselves appointed approved persons unto the Office of the Ministry not that they did it of themselves without the consent and choice of the Church whereunto any of them were appointed for this was directly contrary unto their practice Act. 1.15 22 23 26. Chap. 6.3 Chap. 14.23 But that the peace and edification of the Churches might be provided for they themselves spiritually tryed and approved of fit persons so to lead the Church in their choice Wherefore that which is added afterwards of the consent of the whole Church is to be referred unto those who were ordained by the Apostles themselves 2. They gave Rules and Orders namely in their Writings concerning the Offices and Officers that were to be in the Church with the way whereby they should be substituted into the place and room of them that were deceased as we know they have done in their Writings 3. After this was done by the Apostles other excellent persons as the Evangelists did the same These assisted the Churches in the Ordination and Choice of their Officers according unto the Rules prescribed by the Apostles And I know not but that the eminent Pastors of other Churches who usually gave their assistance in the setting apart and Ordination of others unto the Ministry be intended I have insisted long on this Testimony being led on by the Excellency of the writing itself Nothing remains written so near the times of the Apostles nor doth any that is extant which was written afterwards give such an Evidence of Apostolical Wisdom Gravity and Humility Neither is there in all Antiquitie after the writings of the Apostles such a Representation of the State Order and Rule of first Evangelical Churches And it is no small prejudice unto the pretensions of future Ages that this Apostolical person handling a most weighty Ecclesiastical cause makes not the least mention of such Offices Power and Proceedings as wherein some would have all Church-rule and order to consist The Epistle of Polycarpus and the Elders of the Church at Smyrna with him unto the Church of the Philippians is the next on Roll of Antiquity Nothing appears in the whole to intimate any other Church-state or Order than that described by Clemens The Epistle is directed unto the whole Church at Philippi not unto any particular Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was the usual style of those days so was it used as we have seen by Clemens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so it was used presently after the death of Polycarpus by the Church at Smyrna in the account they gave unto other Churches of his death and Martyrdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the same was the Inscription of the Epistle of the Churches at Vienna and Lyons in France unto the Churches in Asia and Phrygia as we shall see immediately And these are plain Testimonies of that Communion among the Churches in those days which was held in and by the Body of each Church or the Community of the Brotherhood which is a clear demonstration of their State and Order And those whom the Apostle writing to the Philippians calls their Bishops and Deacons Polycarpus calls their Presbyters and Deacons It behoves you saith he unto the Church there to abstain from these things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being subject unto the Elders and Deacons Nor doth he mention any other Bishop among the Philippians And it may be observed that in all these Primitive Writings there is still a distinction made after the Example of the Scripture between the Church and the Guides Rulers Bishops or Elders of it And the name of the Church is constantly assigned unto the Body of the People as distinct from the Elders nowhere to the Bishops or Elders as distinct from the people though the Church in its compleat state comprehendeth both sorts Unto this time that is about the year 107 or 108 do belong the Epistles ascribed unto Ignatius if so be they were written by him For Polycarpus wrote his Epistle unto the Philippians after Ignatius was carried to Rome having wrote his Epistle before in Asia Many are the Contests of Learned Men about those Epistles which remain whether they are genuine or the same that were written by him for that he did write Epistles unto sundry Churches is acknowledged by all And whereas there have in this Age been two Copies found and published of these Epistles wherein very many things that were obnoxious unto just exception in those before published do not at all appear yet men are not agreed which of them ought to be preferred and many yet deny that any of them were those written by Ignatius I shall not interpose in this contest only I must say that if any of his genuine Writings do yet remain yet the Corruption and Interpolation of them for many Ages must needs much impair the Authority of what is represented in them as his nor am
Anâ—yra in Galatia about the year 314 Can. 13. and mention is again made of them in a Synod of Antioch An. 341. and somewhat before at the Council of Neocaesarea Can. 13. and frequently afterwards as any one may see in the late Collections of the antient Canons I verily believe nor can the contrary be proved but that these Chorepiscopi at first were as absolute and compleat in the Office of Episcopacy as any of the Bishops of the greater Cities having their name or denomination from the places of their Residence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not for an intimation of any inferiority in them unto other City-Bishops But so it came to pass that through their poverty and want of Interest their Ministry being confined unto a small Country-Parish perhaps through a comparative meanness of their Gifts or Abilities the City-Bishop claimed a Superiority over them and made Canons about their Power the bounding and exercising of it in Dependance on themselves For a while they were esteemed a degree above meer Presbyters who accompanyed or attended the Bishop of the city-City-Church in his Administrations and a degree beneath the Bishop himself in a posture never designed by Christ nor his Apostles Wherefore in process of time the name and thing were utterly lost and all the Country-Churches were brought into an absolute subjection unto the City-Church something being allowed unto them for Worship nothing for Rule and Discipline whereby the first state of Churches in their Original Institution sacredly preserved in the first Centuries was utterly lost and demolished I shall add but one Argument more to evincâ— the true state and nature of Evangelical Churches herein namely that they were only particular Congregations and that is taken from the Duties and Powers ascribed in the Scripture unto Churches and the Members or entire Brotherhood of them It was observed before that the Epistles of the Apostles were written all of them unto the Body of the Churches in contradistinction unto their Elders Bishops or Pastors unless it were those that were written unto particular persons by name And as this is plain in all the Epistles of Paul wherein sometimes distinct mention is made of the Officers of the Church sometimes none at all so the Apostle John affirms that he wrote unto the Church but that Diotrephes who seems to have been their Bishop received him not at once rejecting the Authority of the Apostle and overthrowing the liberty of the Church which example was diligently followed in the succeeding Ages Joh. Epist. 3. ver 9. And the Apostle Peter writing unto the Churches on an especial occasion speaks distinctly of the Elders 1 Pet. 5.1 2. See also Heb. 13.24 the body of the Epistle being directed to the Body of Churches Wherefore all the Instructions Directions and Injunctions given in those Epistles as unto the exercise of power or the performance of duty they are given unto the Churches themselves Now these are such many of them as cannot be acted or performed in any Church by the Body of the People but that which is Congregational only It were too long here to insist on particulars it shall be done elsewhere and it will thence appear that this Argument alone is sufficient to bear the weight of this whole Cause The Reader may if he please consider what Representation hereof is made in these places compared together Matth. 18.15 16 17 18. Act. 1.12 23 Chap. 2.1 42 44 46. Chap. 5.11 12 13. Chap. 11.21 22 25 26 28 29 30. Chap. 12.5 12. Chap. 14.26 27. Chap. 15.1 2 3 4 6 12 13 22 23 27 28 30. Chap. 20.28 Rom. 15.5 6 14 25 26. Chap. 16.1 17 18. 1 Cor. 1.4 5. Chap. 5. throughout Chap. 12.4 7 8 9 11 15 18 28 29 30 31. Chap. 14. throughout Chap. 16.10 11. 2 Cor. 3.1 2 3. Chap. 7.14 15. Chap. 8.22 23 24. Chap. 2 6 7 8 9 10 11. Chap. 8.5 Ephes. 2.19 20 21 22. Chap. 5.11 12. Gal. 6.1 Philip. 2.25 26 27 28. Colos. 1.1 2. Chap. 2.3 Chap. 3.16 Chap. 4.9 12 16 17. 1 Thes. 5.11 12 13 14. 2 Thes. 3.6 7 14 15. Heb. 12.13 Chap. 10.24 25. Chap. 12.15 16. In these I say and other places innumerable there are those things affirmed of and ascribed unto the Apostolical Churches as unto their State Order Assemblies Duties Powers and Priviledges as evinces them to have been only particular Congregations CHAP. VI. Congregational Churches alone suited unto the ends of Christ in the Institution of his Church HAving given an account of that State and Order of the Gospel-Churches which are of Divine Institution it is necessary that we declare also their suitableness and sufficiency unto all the ends for which the Lord Christ appointed such Churches For if there be any true proper end of that nature which cannot be attained in or by any Church-state in this or that form it must be granted that no such form is of Divine Appointment Yea it is necessary not only that such a state as pretends unto a Divine Original be not only not contradictory unto or inconsistent with such an end but that it is effectually conducing thereunto and in its place necessary unto that purpose This therefore is that which we shall now inquire into namely whether this State and Form of Gospel-Churches in single Congregations be suited unto all those ends for which any such Churches were appointed which they must be on the account of the wisdom of Jesus Christ the Author and Founder of them or be utterly discarded from their pretence Nor is there any more forcible Argument against any pretended Church-state Rule or Order than that it is obstructive unto the Souls of men in attaining the proper ends of their whole Institution What these ends are was in general before declared I shall not here repeat them or go over them again but only single out the consideration of those which are usually pleaded as not attainable by this way of Churches in single Congregations only or that at least they are not suited unto their Attainment The first of these is Mutual Love among all Christians all the Disciples of Christ By the Disciples of Christ I intend them and them only who profess Faith in his Person and Doctrine and to hear him or to be guided by him alone in all things that appertain unto the Worship of God and their living unto him If there are any called Christians who in these things choose other guides call other Ministers hear them in their appointments we must sever them from our present consideration though there are important Duties required of us towards them also But what is alledged is necessary unto the constitution of a true Disciple of Christ. Unto all those his great command is Mutual Love among themselves This he calls in an especial manner his Commandment and a new Commandment as for other Reasons so because he had given the first absolute great Example of it in himself as also discovered
all true Evangelical Love Faith and Worship were lost Yea this kinde of Communion and Conjunction added unto an implicite dependance on the Authority of the Church was substituted in their room and multitudes were contented with them as those which did bestead them in their neglect of all other Graces and their exercise And I wish it were not so among others who suppose they have all the Love that is required of them if they are freed from such scandalous variances with their Neighbours as should make them unfit for the Communion 4. If this be the only means of Love how do men maintain it towards any not of their own Parish seeing they never meet with them at the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper And if they can live in love with those of other Parishes why can they not do so with those who having the same Faith and Sacraments with them do meet apart for the exercise of Divine Worship in such Congregations as we have described Wherefore 5. The Variance that is pretended to be caused by the setting up of these particular Congregations is a part of that variance which Christ came to send into the world Matth. 10.34 35 36. Think not that I am come to send Peace on Earth I came not to send Peace but a Sword For I am come to set a man at variance against his Father and the Daughter against her Mother and the Daughter-in-law against her Mother-in-Law And a mans Foes shall be they of his own Houshold He was the Prince of Peace he came to make peace between God and men between men themselves Jews and Gentiles he taught nothing enjoyned nothing that in its own nature should have the least inconsistency with Peace or give countenance unto variance But he declares what would ensue and fall out through the sin the darkness unbelief and enmity unto the Truth that would continue on some under the Preaching of the Gospel whilst others of their nearest Relations should embrace the Truth and profession of it What occasion for this variance is taken from the gathering of these Congregations which the way itself doth neither cause nor give the least countenance unto we are not accountable for Whereas therefore there is with those among whom these variances and loss of Love thereby are pretended one Lord one Faith one Baptism one Hope of their Calling the same Truth of the Gospel Preached the same Sacraments administred and whereas both the Principles of the way and the persons of those who assemble in distinct Corporations for the Celebration of Divine Worship do lead unto Love and the practice of it in all its known Duties all the evils that ensue on this way must be charged on the Enmity Hatred Pride and Secular Interest of men which it is not in our power to cure 2. Another end of the Institution of this state is that the Church might be The Ground and Pillar of Truth 1 Tim. 3.15 that is that it might be the principal outward means to support preserve publish declare and propagate the Doctrine or Truth of the Gospel especially that concerning the Person and Offices of Christ which the Apostle subjoyns unto this Assertion in the next words That Church state which doth not answer this End is not of Divine Institution But this the Ministry of these Churches is eminently suited unto There are three things required in this Duty or required unto this end that the Church be the Ground and a Pillar of Truth 1. That it preserve the Truth in itself and in the Profession of all its Members against all Seducers false Teachers and Errours This the Apostle gives in special charge unto the Elders of the Church of Ephesus adding the Reasons of it Act. 20.28 29 30 31. This is in an especial manner committed unto the Officers of the Church 1 Tim. 5.20 2 Tim. 1.13 14. This the Ministry of these Churches is meet and suited unto The continual Inspection which they may and ought to have into all the Members of the Church added unto that circumspection about and trial of the Doctrines Preached by themselves in the whole Body of the Church fits them for this work This is the Fundamental means on the matter the only outward means that the Lord Christ hath appointed for the preservation of the Truth of the Gospel in this world whereby the Church is the Ground and Pillar of Truth How this can be done where Churches are of that Make and Constitution that the Officers of them can have no immediate Inspection into or cognizance of either the Knowledge Opinions and Practices of the Members of their Church nor the Body of the Church know on any evident ground what it is that their principal Officer believes and teaches I know not By this means was the Truth preserved in the Churches of the two first Centuries wherein they had no Officers but what were placed in particular Churches so as that no considerable Errour made any entrance among them 2. That each Church take care that the same Truth be preserved entire as unto the profession of it in all other Churches Their Communion among themselves whereof afterwards is built upon their common 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Profession of the same Faith This therefore it is their Duty and was always their practice to look after that it was preserved entire For a change in the Faith of any of them they knew would be the dissolution of their Communion Wherefore when any thing of that nature fell out as it did in the Church of Antioch upon the Preaching of the necessity of Circumcision and keeping of the Law whereby the Souls of many of the Disciples were subverted the Church at Hierusalem on the notice and knowledge of it helped them with their Advice and Counsel And Eusebius tells us that upon the first promulgation of the Heresies and Phrensies of Montanus the Faithful or Churches in Asia met frequently in sundry places to examine his Pretences and condemn his Errours whereby the Churches in Phrygia were preserved Hist. Eccl. lib. 5. cap. 14. So the same was done afterwards in the case of Samosatenus at Antioch whereby that Church was delivered from the infection of his pernicious Heresy lib. 7. cap. 26 28 29. And this care is still incumbent on every particular Church if it would approve itself to be the Ground and Pillar of Truth And in like manner Epiphanius giving an account of the Original of the Heresie of Noetus a Patropassian affiâ—ms that the Holy Presbyters of the Church called him and enquired of his Opinion several times whereon being convicted before the Presbytery of enormous Errours he was cast out of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he began to disperse his Errours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiphanius Haeres cont Noet Haer. 38. Sec. 57. Hence it was that the Doctrine of the Church as unto the substance of it was preserved entire during the two first Centuries and somewhat after
to be given of any man charged with Schisme for a Dissent from such a Rule Any such Rule and any Ecclesiastical Censure upon it is apocriphal not only unto the Scripture but unto that which I call primitive Antiquity The first Attempt of any thing in this kind was in reference unto the time and day of the Observation of Easter This was the first Instance among Christians of an endeavour to impose the Observation of humane or Church Constitutions or groundless Traditions on any Churches or Persons in them And whereas that which was called a Schisme between the Churches of Italy and Asia or some of them did ensue thereon we have a most illustrious Testimony from the best the Wisest and the Holyest of that Age for Irenaeus in France and Polycrates in Asia were not alone herein that the blame of all that Division and Schisme was to be charged on them who attempted to deprive the Churches of their Liberty and impose on them a necessity of the Observation of the Time and Season which they had determined on After a Rebuke was given unto the Attempt of the Judaizing Christians to impose the Observation of Mosaical Ceremonies from the pretence of their divine Institution on the Churches of the Gentiles by the Apostles themselves this was the Original of all endeavours to impose humane Constitutions for which there was no such Pretence upon the Practise of any And as it was an Original not unmeet for the beginning and foundation of such Impositions being in a matter of no Vse unto the Edification of the Church so it received such a solemne Rebuke at its first entrance and Attempt that had it not been for the Ignorance Pride Interest and Superstition of some in the following Ages it had perished without Imitation The Account hereof is given in Eusebius lib. 5. cap. 21 22 33 as also of the Rule which then prevailed though afterwards shamefully forsaken namely that an Agreement in the Faith was the only Rule of Communion which ought to be kept under any diversity in voluntary Observations And the Discourse of Socrates on this Occasion lib. 5. cap. 21 Concerning the Non-Institution of any days of Fastings or Feastings or other Rites or Ceremonies then in use with the Liberty which is therefore to be left in such things unto all Christians is the plain Truth whatever some except against it declared with much Judgement and Moderation This Beginning I say had the Imposition of unscriptural uninstituted Rites Ceremonies and Religious Observations among the Churches of Christ and this solemn Rebuke was given unto it Howbeit the Ignorance Superstition and Interest of following Ages with the contempt of all Modesty brake through the boundaries of this Holy Rebuke until their own Impositions and Observations became the substance of all their Church Discipline unto the total subversion of Christian Liberty Wherefore to allow Church Rulers or such as pretend so to be a Liberty and Power to appoint a Rule of Communion comprizing Institutions and Commands of sundry things to be constantly observed in the whole Worship and Discipline of the Church not warranted in themselves by divine Authority and then to charge Beleivers abiding firm in the Doctrine of the Faith with Schisme for a Non-compliance with such Commands and Appointments is that which neither in the Scripture nor in Primitive Antiquity hath either Instance Example President Testimony Rumour or Report to give Countenance unto it The Pedigree of this Practise cannot be derived one step higher than the fact of Victor the Bishop of Rome in the Excommunication of the Churches and Christians of Asia which was solemnly condemned as an Entrenchment on Christian Liberty 3. After these things the Notion of Schisme began to be mannaged variously according unto the Interest of them who seemed to have the most Advantage in the Application of it unto those who dissented from them It were an endless thing to express the Rise and declare the Progress of these Apprehensions But after many loose and declamatory Discourses about it they are gerally issued in two Heads The first is that any kind of Dissent from the Pope and Church of Rome is Schisme all the Schisme that is or can be in the World The other is that a causeless Separation from a true Church is Schisme and this only is so But whereas in this pretended Definition there is no mention of any of its internal Causes nor of its formal Reason but a bare Description of it by an outward Effect it serves only for a weapon in every mans hand to perpetuate digladiations about it For every Church esteems itself true and every one that separates himself esteems himself to have just Cause so to do In the following Times especially after the Rise and Prevalency of the Arian Heresie it was ordinary for those of the Orthodox Perswasion to forsake the Communion of those Churches wherein Arian Bishops did preside and to gather themselves into separate Meetings or Conventicles for divine Worship for which they were accused of Schisme and in sundry places punished accordingly yea some of them unto the Loss of their Lives Yet I suppose there are none now who judge them to have been Schismaticks The Separation of Novatus and Donatus from the Communion of the whole Catholick Visible Church on unwarrantable Pretences is that which makes the loudest noise about Schisme in Antiquity That there was in what was done by them and their Followers the General Nature and Moral Evil of Causeless Schismes and Divisions will be easily granted But it is that wherein we are not concerned be the especiall nature of Schisme what it will Nor did they make use of any one Reason whereon the Merit of the present Cause doth depend The Novatians the modester Sect of the two pretended only a Defect in Discipline in granting Church Communion unto such as they would not have received though they were apparently in the wrong proceeding on mistaken Principles The Donatists pleaded only some Personal Crimes in some few Bishops fallen into in the time of Persecution which they could never prove and thereon grew angry with all the World who would not condemn them and renounce their Communion as well as they These slight Pretences they made the Occasion and Reason of renouncing the Communion of the whole visible Catholick Church in all its distributions for Communion that is all particular Churches and confined Sacraments and Salvation absolutely unto their own Parties And hereon they fell into many other woful Miscarriages especially those of the latter sort It is indifferent by what Name any are pleased to call this Evil and Folly A Sin and Evil it was Schisme or what you please to term it and justly condemned by all Christians not joyning with them in those days And that which was the animating Principle of the Tumult of the Donatists was a Supposition that the Continuation of the true Church state depended on the Successive Ordination of Bishops
much concern'd My Words are Vindic. p. 41. Though many Alterations were before that time introduced into the Order and Rule of the Churches yet it appears that when Cyprian was Bishop of the Church of Carthage that the whole Community of the Members of that Church did meet together to determine of things that were of their common Interest according unto what was judged to be their Right and Liberty in those dayes I thought no man who is so Conversant in the Writings of Cyprian as our Author apparently is could have denied the Truth hereof nor do I say it is so done by him onely he takes occasion from hence to discourse at large concerning the state of the Church at Carthage in those dayes in Opposition to Mr. Cotton who affirms that there was found in that Church the express and lively lineaments of the very body of Congregational Discipline Herein I am not concern'd who do grant that at that time there were many Alterations introduced into the Order and Rule of the Church but that the People did meet together unto the Determination of things of their common Interest such as were the choice of their Officers and the readmission of them into the Fellowship of the Church who had fallen through infirmity in time of Persecution or publick offences and divisions is so evident in the Writings of Cyprian wherein he ascribes unto them the right of choosing Worthy and of rejecting Unworthy Officers and tells them that in such Cases he will do nothing without their consent that it cannot be gain-said But hereon he asketh where I had any Reason to appeal to St. Cyprian for the Democratical Government of the Church which indeed I did not do nor any thing which look'd like unto it And he addes that they have this Advantage from the appeal that we do not suppose any Deviation then from the Primitive Institution whereas my words are Positive that before that time there were many Alterations introduced into the Rule and Order of the Church such things will partiallity in a Cause and aiming at Success in Disputation produce M. Cotton affirms that the lineaments of the Congregational Discipline are found in that Church that there is therein a just Representation of an Episcopal Church that is I presume Diocesan because that alone is unto his purpose It is not lawful to make any Church after the time of the Apostles the Rule of all Church State and Order nor yet to be absolutely determined in these things by the Authority of any man not divinely inspired And yet I cannot but wish that all the three parties dissenting about Church Order Rule and Worship would attempt an agreement between themselves upon the Representation made of the state of the Church of Carthage in the dayes of Cyprian which all of them lay some claim unto although it will be an Abridgement of some of their pretensions It might bring them all nearer together and it may be all of them in some things nearer to the Truth for it is Certain 1. That the Church of Carthage was at that time a particular Church There was no more Church but one in that City Many occasional Meetings and Assemblies in several places for Divine Exercises and Worship there were But stated Churches with Officers of their own Members peculiarly belonging unto them Discipline among them such as our Reverend Author doth afterwards affirme and describe our Parochial Churches to be there were none nor is it pretended that there were 2. That in this one Church there were Many Presbyters or Elders who ruled the whole Body or Community of it by common Advice and Counsel whether they were all of them such as laboured in the Word and Doctrine with the Administration of the Sacraments or attended unto Rule only it doth not appear But that they were many and such as did not stand in any peculiar Relation unto any part of the people but concur'd in common to promote the Edification of the whole Body as Occasion and Opportunity did require is evident in the account given of them by Cyprian himself 3. That among those Elders in that one Church there was one peculiarly called the Bishop who did constantly preside amongst them in all Church affairs and without whom ordinarily nothing was done as neither did he any thing without the advice of the Elders and consent of the People How far this may be allowed for Orders sake is worth consideration of Divine institution it is not But where there are many Elders who have equal interest in and right unto the rule of the whole Church and the Administration of all Ordinances it is necessary unto Order that one do preside in their meetings and consultations whom custom gave some preheminence unto 4. That the people were ruled by their own consent and that in things of greatest importance as the choice of their Officers the casting out and the receiving in of lapsed members had their suffrage in the determination of them 5. That there was no Imposition of Liturgies or Ceremonies or any humane invention in the Worship of God on the Church or any members of it the Scripture being the sole acknowledged Rule in Discipline and Worship This was the state and order of the Church of Carthage in those days and although there were some alterations in it from the first divine Institution of Churches yet I heartily wish that there were no more difference amongst us then what would remain upon a supposition of this state For what remains of the Opposition made unto what I had asserted concerning Congregational or particular Churches I may referre the Doctor and the Reader unto what hath been farther pleaded concerning them in the preceding discourse nor am I satisfied that he hath given any sufficient answer unto what was before alledged in the vindication but hath passed by what was most pregnant with Evidence unto the Truth and by a mistake of my mind or Words diverts very much from the state of the Question which is no other but what I laid down before yet I will consider what is material in the whole of his Discourse on this subject SECT 5. p. 234 He says I affirm that as to the matter of fact concerning the Institution of Congregational Churches it seems evidently exemplyfied in the Scripture for which I referre the Reader unto what is now again declared in the confirmation of it And he adds The matter of Fact is that when Churches grew too big for one single Congregation in a City then a new Congregational Church was set up under new Officer with a separate power of Government that is in that City But this is not at all the matter of Fact I do not say that there were originally more particular Churches then one in one City I do grant in the words next quoted by him that there is not express mention made that any such Church did divide it self into more Congregations with new Officers But this
is the matter of Fact that the Apostles appointed onely particular Congregations and that therefore they did not oblige the Christians about in a Province or Diocess to be of that Church which was first erected in any Town or City but they founded new Churches with new Officers of their own in all places where there were a sufficient number of Believers to make up such a Church And this I prove from the instance of the Church of Hierusalem which was first planted but quickly after there were Churches gathered and settled in Judea Gallilee and Samaria They planted Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Cities and Villages as Clemens speaks But what saith he is this to the proof of the Congregational way this it is namely That the Churches instituted by the Apostles were all of them Congregational not Diocesan Provincial or National but saith he the thing I desired was that when the Christians in one City multiplyed into more Congregations they would prove that they did make new and distinct Churches He may desire it of them who grant that the Christians did multiply in one City into more Congregations then one which I deny untill the end of the second Century although they might and did occasionally meet especially in times of Persecution in distinct Assemblies Neither will their multiplication into more Congregations without distinct Officers at all help the cause he pleadeth for for his Diocesan Church consisteth of many distinct Churches with their distinct Officers Order and Power as he afterwards describes our Parishes to do under one Bishop Yet such is his apprehension of the Justice of his cause that what hath been pleaded twenty times against it namely That speaking of one City the Scripture still calls it the Church of that place but speaking of a Province as Judea Galilee Samaria Galatia Macedonia it speaks of the Churches of them which evidently proves that it knows nothing of a Diocesan Provincial or National Church he produceth in the justification of it because he saith that it is evident theâ—ne that there was but one Church in one City which was never denyed There were indeed then many Bishops in one Church Phil. 1.1 Acts 20.28 And afterwards when one Church had one Bishop only yet there were two Bishops in one City which requires two Churches as Epiphanus affirms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haeres 68. S. 6. For Alexandria never had two Bishops as other Cities had Whether he intend two Bishops in one Church or two Churches in one City all is one to our purpose But the Dr. I presume makes this observation rather artificially to prevent an Objection against his main Hypothesis then with any design to strengthen it thereby For he cannot but know how frequently it is pleaded in opposition unto any National Church State as unto its mention in the Scripture For he that shall speak of the Churches in Essex Suffolk Hartfordshire and so of other Counties without the least intimation of any general Church unto which they should belong would be judged to speak rather the Independent then the Episcopal Dialect But saith he p. 236. I cannot but wonder what Dr. O. means when after he hath produced the Evidence of distinct Churches in the same Province he calls this plain Scripture Evidence and practise for the erecting particular distinct Congregations who denies that I say then it is incumbent on him to prove if he do any thing in this cause that they erected Churches of another sort kind and order also But saith he I see nothing like a proof of distinct Churches in the same City which was the thing to be proved but because it could not be proved was prudently let alone But this was not the thing to be proved nor did I propose it to confirmation nor assert it but have proved the contrary unto the end of the second Century This only I assert that every Church in one City was only one Church and nothing is offered by the Doctor to the contrary yea he affirms the same But saith he sect 6. p. 237. Dr. O. saith That the Christians of one City might not exceed the bounds of a particular Church or Congregation no although they had a multiplication of Bishops or Elders in them and occasional distinct Assemblies for some Acts of Divine Worship But then saith he The notion of a Church is not limited in the Scripture to a single Congregation Why so for saith he if occasional Assemblies be allowed for some Acts of Worship why not for others I say because they belong unto the whole Church or are Acts of Communion in the whole Church Assembled and so cannot be observed in occasional meetings do this saith the Apostle when you come together in one place And if saith he the number of Elders be unlimited then every of those may attend the occasional distinct Assemblies for Worship and yet altogether make up the Body of one Church and so say I they may and yet be one Church still joyning together in all Acts of Communion that are proper and peculiar unto the Church For as the meetings intended were occasional so also was the attendance of the Elders unto them as they found occasion for the Edification of the whole Church It may be the Dr. is not so well acquainted with the Principles and Practise of the Congregational way and therefore thinks that these things are contrary unto them But those of that way do maintain that there ought to be in every particular Congregation unto the compleatness of it many Elders or Overseers that the number of them ought to be encreased as the encrease of the Church makes it necessary for their Edification that the members of such a Church may and ought to meet occasionally in distinct Assemblies especially in the time of Persecution for Prayer Preaching of the Word and mutual Exhortation so when Peter was in Prison after the Death of James many met together in the House of Mary to Pray Acts 12.12 Which was not a meeting of the whole Church And that there were such private meetings of the Members of the same Church in times of Persecution among the Primitive Churches may be proved by a Multiplication of instances but still they continued one Church and joyned together in all Acts of Church Communion properly so called especially if it were possible every Lords-day as Justin Martyr declares that the Church did in his time For all the Christians saith he then in the City and Villages about gathered together in one place for the Ends mentioned But still these distinct occasional Assemblies did not constitute any distinct Societies or Corporations as the distinct Companies do in a City But saith he grant one single Bishop over all these Elders and they make up that representation of a Church which we have from the best and purest Antiquity I say we would quickly grant it could we see any warrant for it or if he could prove that so it was
under For the Communion so much talked of amongst Churches is almost come only unto an Agreement and Oneness in design for the mutual and forcible Extermination of one another at least this is the professed Principle of them who lay the loudest claim to the Name and Title with all the Rights and Priviledges of the Church Nor are others far remote from the same Design who adjudge all who dissent from themselves into such a condition as wherein they are much inclined to think it meet they should be destroyed That which animates this contest which gives it Life and Fierceness is a supposed enclosure of certain Priviledges and Advantages Spiritual and Temporal real or pretended unto the Church-state contended about Hence most men seem to think that the principal if not their only concernment in Religion is of what Church they are so as that a dissent from them is so evil as that there is almost nothing else that hath any very considerable evil in it When this is once well riveted in their Minds by them whose secular Advantages lye in the Enclosure they are in a Readiness to bear a share in all the evils that unavoidably ensue on such Divisions By this means among others is the state or condition of Christian Religion as unto its publick Profession become at this day so deplorable as cannot well be expressed What with the bloody and desolating Wars of Princes and Potentates and what with the Degeneracy of the Community of the People from the Rule of the Gospel in Love Meekness Self-denial Holiness Zeal the Universal Mortification of Sin and Fruitfulness in Good Works the Profession of Christianity is become but a sad Representation of the Vertues of him who calls out of Darkness into his Marvellous Light Neither doth there seem at present to be any design or expectation in the Most for the ending of Controversies about the Church but Force and the Sword which God forbid It is therefore high time that a sober Enquiry be made whether there be any such Church state of Divine Institution as those contended about For if it should appear upon Trial that indeed there is not but that all the fierce digladiations of the Parties at Variance with the doleful effects that attend them have proceeded on a false supposition in an adherence whereunto they are confirmed by their Interests some advances may be made towards their Abatement However if this may not be attained yet Directions may be taken from the Discovery of the Truth for the use of them who are willing to be delivered from all concernment in these fruitless endless contests and to reduce their whole Practice in Religion unto the Institutions Rules and Commands of our Lord Jesus Christ. And where all hopes of a general Reformation seem to fail it savours somewhat of an unwarrantable Severity to forbid them to reform themselves who are willing so to do provided they admit of no other Rule in what they so do but the Declaration of the Mind of Christ in the Gospel carrying it peaceably towards all Men and firmly adhering unto the Faith once delivered unto the Saints To make an Entrance into this Enquiry the ensuing Discourse is designed And there can be no way of the Mannagement of it but by a diligent impartial search into the Nature Order Power and Rule of the Gospel Church state as instituted determined and limited by our Lord Jesus Christ and his Apostles When we depart from this Rule so as not to be regulated by it in all Instances of Fact or pleas of Right that afterwards fell out we fall into the confusion of various Presumptions suited unto the Apprehensions and Interests of men imposed on them from the Circumstances of the Ages wherein they lived Yet is it not to be denied but that much Light into the nature of Apostolical Institutions may be received from the declared Principles and Practices of the first Churches for the space of 200 years or thereabouts But that after this the Churches did insensibly depart in various degrees from the state Rule and Order of the Apostolical Churches must I suppose be acknowledged by all those who groan undâ—r the final Issue of that gradual Degeneracy in the Papal Antichristian Tyranny For Rome was not built in a day nor was this change introduced at once or in one Age nor were the lesser Alterations which began this Declension so prejudicial unto the Being Order and Purity of the Churches as they proved afterwards through a continual additional encrease in succeeding Ages Having affirmed something of this nature in my brief Vindication of the Nonconformists from the Guilt of Schisme the Reverend Dr. Stillingfleet in his late Treatise entitled The Vnreasonableness of Separation doth not only deny it but reflects with some severity upon the Mention of it Part 2. Sect. 3. pag. 225 226 c. I shall therefore on this Occasion reassume the consideration of it although it will be spoken unto also afterwards The Words he opposeth are these It is possible that an impartial Account may ere long be given of the state and ways of the first Churches after the decease of the Apostles wherein it will be made to appear how they did insensibly deviate in many things from the Rule of their first institution so as that though their Mistakes were of small moment and not prejudicial unto their Faith and Order yet occasion was administred unto succeeding Ages to encrease those Deviations until they issued in a fatal Apostacy I yet suppose these words inoffensive and agreeable unto the Sentiments of the Generality of Protestants For 1. Unto the first Churches after the Apostles I ascribe nothing but such small Mistakes as did no way prejudice their Faith or Order And that they did preserve the latter as well as the former as unto all the substantial Parts of it shall be afterwards declared Nor do I reflect any more upon them then did Hegesippus in Eusebius who confines the Virgin Purity of the Church unto the days of the Apostles lib. 3. cap. 29. The greater Deviations which I intend began not until after the end of the second Century But 2. To Evince the improbability of any Alteration in Church Rule and Order upon my own Principles he intimates both here and afterwards that my Judgment is that the Government of the Church was Democratical and the Power of it in the People in distinction from its Officers which is a great Mistake I never thought I never wrote any such thing I do believe that the Authoritative Rule or Government of the Church was is and ought to be in the Elders and Rulers of it being an Act of the Office-Power committed unto them by Christ himself Howbeit my Judgment is that they ought not to Rule the Church with Force Tyranny and Corporal Penalties or without their own consent whereof we shall treat afterwards There are also other Mistakes in the same Discourse which I shall not insist upon
3. This therefore is that which he opposeth namely that there was a Deviation in various degrees and falling of from the Original Institution Order and Rule of the Church until it issued in a fatal Apostasie This is that which on the present Occasion must be further spoken unto For if this be not true I confess there is an end of this contest and we must all acquiesce in the State Rule and Order that was in the Church of Rome before the Reformation But we may observe something yet farther in the Vindication and Confirmation of this Truth which I acknowledge to be the Foundation of all that we plead for in point of Church Reformation As 1. That the Reasons and Arguings of the Doctor in this Matter the Necessity of his Cause compelling him thereunto are the same with those of the Papists about the Apostacy of their Church in Faith Order and Worship wherewith they are charged namely when where how was this Alteration made who made opposition unto it and the like When these Enquiries are multiplyed by the Papists as unto the whole Causes between them and us he knows well enough how to give satisfactory Answers unto them and so might do in this particular unto himself also but I shall endeavour to ease him of that trouble at present Only I must say that it is fallen out somewhat unexpectedly that the Ruins of the principle Bulwark of the Papacy which hath been effectually demolished by the Writings of Protestants of all sorts should be endeavoured to be repaired by a Person justly made eminent by his Defence of the Protestant Religion against those of the Church of Rome 2. But it may be pleaded that although the Churches following the first Ages did insensibly degenerate from the Purity and simplicity of Gospel Faith and Worship yet they neither did nor could do so from an Adherence unto and abiding in their Original constitution or from the due Observation of Church Order Rule and Discipline least of all could this happen in the Case of Diocesan Episcopacy I Answer 1. That as unto the Original of any thing that looks like Diocesan Episcopacy or the Pastoral Relation of one Person of a distinct order from Presbiters unto many particular compleat Churches with Officers of their own with Power and Jurisdiction in them and over them unto the Abridgement of the exercise of that Right and Power unto their own Edification which every true Church is entrusted withal by Jesus Christ it is very uncertain and was introduced by insensible Degrees according unto the effectual working of the Mistery of Iniquity Some say that there were two distinct Orders namely those of Bishops and Presbyters instituted at first in all Churches planted by the Apostles But as the contrary may be evidently proved so a supposition of it would no way promote the cause of Diocesan Episcopacy until those who plead for it have demonstrated the State of the Churches wherein they were placed to be of the same nature with those now called Diocesan Wherefore this Hypothesis begins generally to be deserted as it seems to be by this Author Others suppose that immediately upon or at or after the Decease of the Apostles this new Order of Bishops was appointed to succeed the Apostles in the Government of the Churches that were then gathered or planted But how when or by whom by what Authority Apostolical and Divine or Ecclesiastical only and humane none can declare seeing there is not the least footstep of any such thing either in the Scripture or in the Records that remain of the primitive Churches Others think this new Order of Officers took its occasional Rise from the Practice of the Presbyters of the Church at Alexandria who chose out one among themselves constantly to preside in the Rule of the Church and in all matters of Order unto whom they ascribed some kind of Preheminence and Dignity peculiarly appropriating unto him the namâ— of Bishop And if this be true as unto matter of Fact I reckon it unto the Beginnings of those less harmful Deviations from their Original Constitution which I assigned unto Primitive Churches But many Additions must be made hereunto before it will help the Cause of Diocesan Episcopacy What other occasions hereof were given or taken what Advantages were made use of to promote this Alteration shall be touched upon afterwards 2. Why may not the Churches be supposed to have departed from their original Constitution Order and Rule as well as from their first Faith and Worship which they did gradually in many successive Ages until both were utterly corrupted The Causes Occasions and Temptations leading unto the former are to the full as pregnant as those leading unto the latter For 1. There was no vicious corrupt disposition of Mind that began more early to work in Church Officers nor did more grow and thrive in the Minds of many then Ambition with desire of Preheminence Dignity and Rule It is not to be supposed that Diotrephes was alone in his Desire of â—reheminence nor in the irregular actings of his unduly â—ssumed Authority However we have one signal Instance in him of the Deviation that was in the Church with him from the Rule of its Original Constitution For he prevailed so far therein as by his own single Episcopal Power to reject the Authority of the Apostles and to cast them out of the Church who complyed not with his humour How effectually the same Ambition wrought afterwards in many others possessing the same Place in their Churches with Diotrephes is sufficiently evident in all Ecclesiastical Histories It is far from being the only Instance of the Corruption of Church Order and Rule by the Influence of this Ambition yet it is one that is pregnant which is given us by Amâ—rose for saith he Ecclesia ut Synagoga Seniores habuâ—â— quorum sine consilio nihil agebatur in Ecclesia quod qua neglâ—gentia obsoleverit nescio nisi forte doctorum desidia aut magis superbia dum soli volunt aliquid videri In 1. ad Timoth. cap. 5. It seems there was some alteration in Church Rule and Order in his Time whose Beginning and Progress he could not well discover and trace but knew well enough that so it was then come to pass And if he who lived so near the Times wherein such Alterations were made could not yet discover their first Insinuation nor their subtle Progress it is unreasonable to exact a strict account of us in things of the same nature who live so many Ages after their first Introduction But this he judgeth that it was the Pride or Ambition of the Doctors of the Church which introduced that Alteration in its Order Whereas therefore we see in the Event that all Deviations from the Original Constitution of Churches all Alterations in their Rule and Order did issue in a compliance with the Ambition of Church Rulers as it did in the Papal Church and this Ambition was signally noted
as one of the first depraved Inclinations of Mind that wrought in Ecclesiastical Rulers and which in the fourth and fifth Centuries openly proclaimed itself unto the scandal of Christian Religion there was a greater disposition in them unto a Deviation from the Original Institution Rule and Order of the Church no way suited unto the satisfaction of that Ambition then unto a Defection from the Purity of Faith and Worship which yet also followed 2. As the Inclination of many lay towards such a Deviation so their Interests lead them unto it and their Temptations cast them upon it For to acknowledge the Truth unto our Author and Others the Rule and Conduct of the Church the Preservation of its Order and Discipline according unto its first Institution and the Directions given in the Scripture about it are according unto our Apprehension of these things a Matter so weighty in itself so dangerous as unto its Issue attended with so many Difficulties Trials and Temptations laid under such severe Interdictions of Lordly Power or seeking either of Wealth or Dignity that no wise men will ever undertake it but meerly out of a sense of a Call from Christ unto it and in compliance with that Duty which he owes unto him It is no pleasant thing unto Flesh and Blood to be ingaged in the conduct and oversight of Christs Volunteers to bear with their manners to exercise all Patience towards them in their Infirmities and Temptations to watch continually over their walkings and conversation and thereon personally to exhort and admonish them all to search diligently and scrupulously into the Rule of the Scripture for their Warranty in every Act of their Power and Duty under all their Weaknesses and Miscarriagâ—s continuing an high valuation of them as of the Flock of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood with sundry other things of the like kind all under an abiding sense of the near approach of that great Account which they must give of the whole Trust and Charge committed unto them before the Judgment seat of Christ for the most part peculiarly exposed unto all manner of Dangers Troubles and Persecutions without the least encouragement from Wealth Power or Honour It is no wonder therefore if many in the Primitive times were willing gradually to extricate themselves out of this uneasie condition and to embrace all occasions and opportunities of introducing insensibly another Rule and Order into the Churches that might tend more unto the Exaltation of their own Power Authority and Dignity and free them in some measure from the weight of that important charge and continual care with labour which a diligent and strict Adherence unto the first institution of Churches and Rules given for their Order and Government in the Scripture would have obliged them unto And this was done accordingly until in the fourth and fifth Centuries and so onward the Bishops under various Titles began by their Arbitrary Rules and Canons to dispose of the Flock of Christ to part and divide them among themselves without their own knowledge or consent as if they had conquered them by the sword This Bishop shall have such a share and number of them under his Power and that other so many so far shall the Jurisdiction of one extend and so far that of another was the subject of many of their Decrees and Laws for the Rule of the Church But yet neither did they long keep within those Bounds and Limits which their more modest Ambition had at first prescribed unto them but took occasion from these Beginnings to contend among themselves about Preheminence Dignity and Power in which contest the Bishop of Rome at length remained Master of the Field thereby obtaining a second Conquest of the World 3. That there was such a gradual Deviation from the Original Institution of Churches their Order and Rule is manifest in the Event For the change became at length as great as the distance is between the Gospel and the Rule of Christ over his Church on the one hand and the Canon Law with the Pope or Antichrist set over the Church on the other This change was not wrought at once not in one Age but by an insensible Progress even from the Days of the Apostles unto those dark and evil times wherein the Popes of Rome were exalted into an absolute Tyranny over all Churches unto the satiety of their Ambition For 4. This Mistery of Iniquity began to work in the days of the Apostles themselves in the suggestions of Satan and the Lusts of Men though in a manner latent and imperceptible unto the wisest and best of Men. For that this Mistery of the Iniquity consisted in the effectual Workings of the Pride Ambition and other Vices of the Minds of Men excited enticed and guided by the craft of Satan until it issued in the Idolatrous persecuting State of the Church of Rome wherein all Church Rule Order and Worship of Divine Institution was utterly destroyed or corrupted we shall believe until we see an Answer given unto the learned Writings of all sorts of Protestants whereby it hath been proved These things are sufficient to Vindicate the Truth of the Assertion which the Doctor opposeth and to free it from his Exceptions But because as was observed before the supposition hereof is the foundation of all our present contests about Church Order and Rule I shall yet proceed a little farther in the Declaration of the Way and Manner whereby the Apostacy asserted was begun and carried on And I shall not herein insist on particular Instances nor make a Transcription of Stories out of antient Writers giving Evidence unto the Truth because it hath been abundantly done by others especially those of Magdeburg in the sixth and seventh Chapters of their Centuries unto whose Observations many other Learned men have made considerable Additions but I shall only treat in general of the Causes Ways and Manner of the Beginning and Progress of the Apostacy or Declension of Churches from their first Institution which fell out in the successive Ages after the Apostles especially after the End of the second Century until when Divine Institutions as unto the substance of them were preserved entire Decays in any kind even in things Natural and Political are hardly discernable but in and by their effects When an Hectick Distemper befalls the Body of any man it is oftimes not to be discerned until it is impossible to be cured The Roman Historian gives this advice unto his Readers after he hath considered the ways and means whereby the Empire came to its Greatness labente deinde disciplina velut dissidentes primo mores sequatur animo deinde ut magis magisque lapsi sint tum ire caeperint praecipites donec ad haec tempora anibus nec vitia nostra nec remedia pati possumus periculuâ— est Liv. Praefat. His words do not give us a more graphical Description of the Rise and Decay as unto Vertue and Vice
Negligence I comprize both the Ignorance Sloth Worldliness Decay in Gifts and Graces with Superstition in sundry Instances that in many of them were the causes of it Dr. Stil pleads that it is very unlikely that the People would forego their Interest in the Government of the Churches if ever they had any such thing without great Noise and Trouble For saith he Government is so nice and tender a thing that every one is so much concerned for his share in it that men are not easily induced to part with it Let us suppose the Judgement of the Church to have been Democratical at first as Dr. O. seems to do is it probable that the People would have been wheadled out of the sweetness of Government so soon and made no noise about it pag. 226. His Mistake about my Judgment herein hath been marked before No other Interest or share in the Government is ascribed by us unto the People but that they may be ruled by their own consent and that they may be allowed to yeild Obedience in the Church unto the commands of Christ and his Apostles given unto them for that End This Interest they neither did nor could forego without their own Sin and Guilt in neglecting the Exercise of the Gifts and Graces which they ought to have had and the Performance of the Duties whereunto they were obliged But for any ingagement on their Minds from the sweetness of Government wherein their concern principally consists in an understanding voluntary Obedience unto the commands of Christ they had nothing of it Take also in general Government to be as the Government of the Church is meerly a Duty Labour and Service without those Advantages of Power Ease Dignity and Wealth which have been annexed unto it and it will be hard to discover such a Nicety or Sweetness in it as to oblige unto Pertinacy in an adherence unto it If the Government of the Church were apprehended to consist in mens giving themselves wholly to the Word and Prayer in watching continually over the Flock in acurate carefulness to do and act nothing in the Church but in the Name and Authority of Christ by the Warranty of his Commands with a constant Exercise of all Gifts and Graces of the Holy Spirit which they have received in these and all other Duties of their Office and that without the least Appearance of Domination or the procuring of Dignity Secular Honours and Revenues thereby it may be a share and Interest in it would not be so earnestly coveted and sought after as at present it is Nor is there any more pertinency in his ensuing supposal of a change in the Government of the Congregational Churches in London in setting up one Man to rule over them all and to appoint their several Teachers c. p. 227. which could not be done without noise It is in vain to fear it Non isto vivimus illic quo tu vere Modo and impertinent in this case to suppose it For it speaks of a suddain total Alteration in the State Order and Rule of Churches to be made at once whereas our Discourse is of that which was gradual in many Ages by Degrees almost imperceptible But yet I can give no security that the Churches of our way shall not in process of time decline from their Primitive Constitution and Order either in their Power and Spirit in Faith and Love or in the outward Practice of them unless they continually watch against all Beginnings and Occasions of such Declensions and frequently renew their Reformation or if it be otherwise they will have better success then any Churches in the World ever yet had even those that were of the planting of the Apostles themselves as is manifested in the Judgment that our Lord Jesus Christ passed on them Rev. 2. and 3. The Negligence of the People which issued in their unfitness to be disposed of and ruled according to the Principles of the first Constitution of Church Order may be considered either as it gave occasion unto those lesser Deviations from the Rule which did not much prejudice the Faith and Order of the Churches or as it occasioned greater Alterations in the ensuing Ages And 1. The great and perhaps in some things excessive Veneration which they had of their Bishops or Pastors did probably occasion in them some neglect of their own Duty For they were easily induced hereon not only implicitely to leave the Mannagement of all Church Affairs unto them but also Zealously to comply with their Mistakes The Church of Smyrna giving an Account of the Martyrdom of holy Polycarpus tells us that when he ascended the Pile wherein he was to be burned that he pulled off his own cloths and endeavoured to pull off his shooes which he had not done before because the Faithful strove among themselves who should soonest touch his Body Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 15. I think there can be no Veneration due to a Man which was not so unto that great and holy Person But those who did so express it might easily be induced to place too much of their Religion in an implicite compliance with them unto whom they are so devoted Hence a Negligence in themselves as unto their particular Duties did ensue They were quickly far from esteeming it their Duty to say unto their Pastor or Bishop that he should take heed unto the Ministry which he had received in the Lord to fulfill it as the Apostle enjoyns the Colossians to say to Archippus their Pastor chap. 4.17 but begun to think that the Glory of obsequious Obedience was all that was left unto them And hence did some of the Clergy begin to assume to themselves and to ascribe unto one another great swelling Titles of Honour and names of Dignity amongst which the Blasphemous Title of His Holiness was at length appropriated unto the Bishop of Rome wherein they openly departed from Apostolical Simplicity and Gravity But these things fell out after the writing of the Epistle of Clemens of those of the Church of Vienna and Smyrna wherein no such Titles do appear 2. Many of the Particular Churches of the first Plantations encreasing greatly in the number of their Members it was neither convenient nor safe that the whole Multitude should on all occasions come together as they did at first to consult about their common concerns and discharge the Duties of their Communion For by Reason of Danger from their numerous Conventions they met in several Parcels as they had opportunity Herewith they were contented unless it were upon the greater occasions of choosing their Officers and the like whereon the whole Church met together This made them leave the ordinary Administration of all things in the Church unto the Elders of it not concerning themselves further therein but still continuing Members of the same particular Church It is altogether improbable what Platina from Damasus affirmes in the Life of Evaristus about the End of the first Century that he
distributed the Faithful at Rome into distinct Titles or Parishes with distinct Presbyters of their own For it is apparent that in those days wherein Persecution was at its height the Meetings of Believers were occasional with respect unto their Security oft-times by Night sometimes in Caves under the Earth or in deserted Burial places at best in private Houses And they had for what they did the Example of the Apostolical Churches Acts 1.13 14. Acts 2.46 chap. 4.24 31. chap. 12.12 chap. 18.7 chap. 20.8 chap. 21.18 Instances of such Meetings may be multiplyed especially in the Church of Rome And to manifest that they took this course upon Necessity when Peace begun to be restored at any time unto them they designed Temples that might receive the whole Multitude of the Church together The Distribution mentioned into Titles and Parishes began a long time after and in very few places within 300 years In this State it is easie to conceive what Alterations might fall out in some Churches from their Primitive Order especially how the People might desert their Diligence and Duty in attending unto all the concerns of the Church And if those things which the Apostles wrote unto them in their Epistles the Instructions Directions and Commands how in all things they should act and deport themselves in the Church be esteemed to be Obligatory in all Ages I cannot see how after the second Century they were much complyed withal unless it were in the single Instance of choosing their own Officers or Rulers But Secondly After these there ensued greater Occasions of greater Variations from the Primitive Institution and Order of the Churches on the Part of the People For 1. Such Numbers of them were received into a Relation unto particular Churches as was inconsistent with the Ends of their Institution and the Observance of the Communion required in them as will afterwards appear And the Reliefes that were invented for this Inconveniency in distinct Conventions supplyed with the Administration of the Word and Sacrament from the first Church or by stated Titles did alter the State of the Church Among those Multitudes which were added unto the Churches especially in the fourth Century many if not the most did come short inexpressibly in Knowledge Gifts Grace Holiness and uprightness of Conversation of the Primitive Christians as the Writers of that Age complain And being hereby uncapable of walking according unto the Order Rule and Discipline of the Apostolical Churches there seemed to be a Necessity of another Rule of other ways and means for their Government without their own concurrence or consent then what was at first appointed which were gradually introduced Whence the original of a Multitude of those Canons which were arbitrarily invented afterwards for their Rule and Government is to be derived And it may be made to appear that the Accommodation of the Rule yea and of the Worship of the Church in the several Ages of it unto the Ignorance Manners and Inclinations of the People who were then easily won unto the outward Profession of Christian Religion was one means of the Ruine of them both until they issued in downright Tyranny and Idolatry But much more of the cause of the Deviation of the Churches from their Primitive Rule and Order is to be ascribed unto the Ambition and Love of Preheminence in many of the Clergy or Rulers of the Churches But this is no Place nor Season to manifest this by Instances besides it hath been done by others I shall therefore enquire only into one or two things in particular which are of principal consideration in the Declension of the Churches from their Primitive Institution Order and Rule And 1. It is evident that there was an Alteration made in the state of the Church as to its Officers For it issued at last in Popes Patriarchs Cardinals Metropolitan and Diocesan Bishops who were utterly forreign unto the State and Order of the Primitive Churches and that for some Ages Nor were these Officers introduced into the Church at one or in one Age nor with the Powers which they afterwards claimed and assumed unto themselves It was done gradually in many succeeding Ages working by a Design to accommodate the State of the Church unto the Political State of the Empire in the distribution of its Government 2. The Beginnings of this great Alteration were small nor at all perceived in the days wherein they were first acted Nor is it agreed nor as far as I see will it ever be agreed among Learned Men when first a Disparity among the ordinary Officers of the Church in Order Degree or Power did first begin nor by what means it was brought about The Apostles were all equal among themselves no one had either Office or Office-Power above others So were all the ordinary Bishops and Presbyters mentioned in the Scripture as shall be proved afterwards No intimation is given of any Preheminence or Superiority amongst them of one over others Yet afterwards in the third and fourth Centuries much of that nature appears It begins to be granted that the Bishops and Elders mentioned in the Scripture were the same and that there was no difference in Name Office or Power during the Apostles times which was the Judgment of Hierome and our Author seems to me to be of the same Mind p. 267. But they say that after the Decease of the Apostles there were some appointed to succeed them in that part of their Office which concerned the Rule of many Churches And this they say was done for the prevention of Schisme but with ill success For as Clemens affirms that the Apostles foresaw that there would be Strife and Contention about Episcopacy even when it was confined unto its Original Order because of the Ambition of Diotrephes and others like him so it became much more the cause of all sorts of Disorders in Schismes and Heresies when it began to exalt it self in Dignity and Reputation The first express Attempt to corrupt and divide a Church made from within itself was that in the Church of Hierusalem made by Thebulis because Simon Cleopas was chosen Bishop and he was refused Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 21. The same Rise had the Schismes of the Novatians and Donatists the Heresies of Arius and others Neither is there any thing certain in this pretended Succession of some Persons unto the Apostles in that part of their Office which concerns the Rule of many Churches by one Overseer No Intimation of any such Appointment by the Apostles or any of them no record of the concurrence of the Churches themselves in and unto this Alteration can be produced Nor is there any Analogy between the extraordinary Power of every Apostle over all Churches and care for them and the ordinary Power of a Bishop over a small Number which Lot or Accident disposeth unto him Besides it cannot be proved no Instance can be given or hath been for the space of 200 years or until the end of the
second Century of any one Person who had the care of more Churches than one committed unto him or did take the charge of them on himself But whereas this change did fall out and appears evidently so to have done in the fourth Century we may briefly enquire into the Causes and Occasions of it Churches were originally planted in Cities and Townes for the most part not absolutely for the Word was preached and Churches gathered by the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Clemens testifieth In such Cities there was but one Church whereunto all Beleivers did belong I mention this the rather because our present Author who is pleased frequently to mistake my Words and Principles affirms that the thing which I should have proved is that there were more Churches at first planted in one City than one I know not why I should be obliged to do so because I never said so I do believe indeed that there may be more particular Churches than one in one City and that sometimes it is better that it should be so then that all Beleivers in the same City should be kept up unto one Congregation to the Obstruction of their Edification But that there were originally or in the days of the Apostles more Churches than one in any one City or Town I do wholly deny though I grant at the same time there were Churches in Villages also as will appear afterwards But though there was one Church only in one Town or City yet all the Believers that belonged unto that Church did not live in that City but sundry of them in the Fields and Villages about So Justin Martyr tells us that on the first day of the week when the Church had its solemn Assemblies all the Members of it in the City and out of the Country the Fields and Villages about met together in the same place In process of time these Believers in the Country did greatly encrease by the means of the Ministry of the City-Church which diligently attended unto the Conversion of all sorts of men with some extraordinary helps besides But hereon the Example of the Apostles was overseen For on this account of the Conversion of many unto the Faith in the Towns and Villages of any Province they erected and planted new Churches among them not obliging them all unto that first Church from whence the Word went forth for their Conversion But those who succeeded them being hindred by many Reasons which may be easily recounted from Thoughts of the Multiplication of Churches chose rather to give the Beleivers scattered up and down in the Countrey occasional Assistance by Presbyters of their own than to dispose them into a Chrch State and Order But after a while their Number greatly encreasing they were necessitated to supply them with a constant Ministâ—y in several Parcels or Divisions The Ministers or Elders thus disposed amongst them for their Edification in the Administration of the Ordinances of the Gospel did still relate unto and depend upon that City first Church from whence they came But the Numbers of Beleivers dayly encreasing and a Succession of Presbyters in their distinct Assemblies being found necessary they came to be called Churches though continuing in dependance both for a supply of Officers and for Rule on the first or City Church whereunto they esteemed themselves to belong This was the way and manner of the Multiplication of Christian Assemblies throughout the Roman Empire And hereby all the Bishops of the first Churches became by common consent to have a distinction from and Preheminence above the Presbyters that were fixed in the Country and a Rule over those Assemblies or Churches themselves And therefore when they met together in the Council of Nice among the first things they decreed one was to confirm unto the Bishops of the great Cities that Power over the Neighbouring Churches which they had enjoyned from this occasional Rise and Constitution of them Hereby was a Difference and Distinction between Bishops and Presbiters between Mother and Dependant Churches introduced equally almost in all places without taking any notice of the departure which was therein from the Primitive Pattern and Institution But these things fell out long after the Days of the Apostles namely in the third and fourth Centuries there being no mention of them before But Secondly There was another Occasion of this Alteration which took place before that insisted on For in many of those City Churches especially when the number of Beleivers much encreased there were many Bishops or Elders who had the Rule of them in common This is plain in the Scripture and in the ensuing Records of Church Affairs And they had all the same Office the same Power and were of the same Order But after a while to preserve Order and Decency among themselves and in all their proceedings they chose one from among them who should preside in all Church Affairs for Orders sake unto whom after a season the name of Bishop began to be appropriated Whether the Rule they proceeded by herein was to choose them unto this Dignity who had been first converted unto the Faith or first called and ordained to be Presbyters or had respect unto the Gifts and Graces of those whom they chose is not certain But this way began in those Churches wherein some extraordinary Officer Apostle or Evangelist had long resided It cannot therefore be doubted but they had some Design to represent hereby somewhat of the Dignity of such an Officer and a Resemblance of the continuance of his Presence among them And this I suppose fell out early in the Churches though without Ground or Warrant And the Principal Pastors of other Churches which had not any great Number of Elders in them yet quickly assumed unto themselves the Dignity which the others had attained Justin Martyr in the Account he gives of the Church its Order Rule Worship and Discipline in his Days mentions one singular Person in one Church whom he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who presided in all the Affairs of the Church and himself administred all the sacred Ordinances every Lords Day unto the whole Body of the Church gathered and met out of the City and the Villages about This was the Bishop and if any one desired this Office he desired a good work as the Apostle speaks Whatever Accessions were made unto the Church these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were either the first converted to the Faith or the first ordained Presbyters or obtained their Preheminence non pretio sed Testimonio as Tertullian speaks upon the account of their Eminency in Gifts and Holiness were yet quickly sensible of their own Dignity and Praelation and by all means sought the enlargement of it supposing that it belonged unto the Honour and Order of the Church it self Under this State of things the Churches encreasing every day in Number and Wealth growing insensibly more and more indies magis magisque decrescente disciplina into a form and
state exceeding the bounds of their Original Institution and becoming unweildy as unto the Pursuit of their Ends unto mutual Edification it is not hard to conjecture how a stated Distinction between Bishops and Presbyters did afterwards ensue For as the first Elder Bishop or Pastor had obtained this small Preheminence in the Church wherein he did preside and the Assemblies of the Villages about so the Mannagement of those Affairs of the Church which they had in Communion with others was committed unto him or assumed by him This gave them the Advantage of meeting in Synods and Councils afterwards wherein they did their own Business unto the Purpose Hereon in a short time the People were deprived of all their Interest in the State of the Church so as to be governed by their own Consent which indeed they also had rendred themselves unmeet to enjoy and exercise other Elders were deprived of that Power and Authority which is committed unto them by Christ and thrust down into an Order or Degree inferior unto that wherein they were originally placed New Officers in the Rule of the Church utterly unknown to the Scripture and Primitive Antiquity were introduced all Charitable Donations unto the Church for the maintenance of the Ministry the Poor and the Redemption of Captives were for the most part abused to advance the Revenues of the Bishops such secular Advantages in Honour Dignity and Wealth were annexed unto Episcopal Sees as that Ambitious Men shamefully contested for the attaining of them which in the Instance of the bloody conflict between the Parties of Damasus and Vrsacius at Rome Ammianus Marcellinus an Heathen doth greatly and wisely reflect upon But yet all these Evils were as nothing in comparison of that dead Sea of the Roman Tyranny and Idolatry whereinto at last these bitter Waters ran and were therein totally Corrupted I thought also to have proceeded with an Account of the Declension of the Churches from their first Institution in their Matter Form and Rule â—ut because this would draw forth my Discourse beyond my present Intention I shall forbear having sufficiently vindicated my Assertion in this one Instance It is no Part of my Design to give an Answer at large unto the great Volume that Dr. Still hath written on this Occasion much less to contend about particular Sayings Opinions the Practises of this or that Man which it is filled withal But whereas his Treatise so far as the Merit of the Cause is concerned in it doth consist of two Parts the first whereof contains such Stories Things and Sayings as may load the Cause and Persons whom he opposeth with prejudices in the Minds of others in which endeavour he exceeds all Expectation and what doth more directly concern the Argument in hand I shall at the end of the ensuing Discourse speak distinctly unto all that is Material of the second sort especially so far as is needful unto the Defence of my former Vindication of the Non-conformists from the Guilt of Schisme For the things of the first sort wherein the Doctor doth so abound both in his Preface and in the first part of his Book as to manifest himself I fear to be a little too sensible of Provocation for the actings of Interest in wise Men are usually more sedate I shall only oppose some general considerations unto them without arguing or contending about Particulars which would be endless and useless And whereas he hath gathered up almost every thing that hath been done written or spoken to the Prejudice of the Cause and Persons whom he opposeth though frequently charged before adding the advantage of his Style and Method unto their Reinforcement I shall reduce the whole unto a few Heads which seem to be of the greatest importance I shall leave him without disturbance unto the satisfaction he hath in his own Love Moderation and Condescension expressed in his Preface Others may possibly call some things in it unto a farther Account But the first Part of his Book is cast under two Heads 1. A Commendation of the first Reformers and their Reformation with some Reflections upon all that acquiesce not therein as though they esteemed themselves wiser and better than they From this Topick proceed many severe Reflections and some Reproaches The other consists in a story of the Rise and Progress of Separation from the Church of England with great Miscarriages among them who first attempted it and the Opposition made unto them by those who were themselves Non-conformists The whole is closed with the Difference and Debate between the Divines of the Assembly of the Presbyterian way and the dissenting Brethren as they were then called Concerning these things the Discourse is so prolix and so swelled with long Quotations that I scarce believe any man would have the Patience to read over a particular Examination of it especially considering how little the Cause in hand is concerned in the whole Story whether it be told right or wrong candidly or with a Design to make an Advantage unto the Prejudice of others I shall therefore only mark something with respect unto both these heads of the first Part of the Book which if I mistake not will lay it aside from being of any Use in our present Cause 1. As unto the first Reformers and Reformation in the Days of King Edward the Plea from them and it which we have been long accustomed unto is that they were Persons Great Wise Learned Holy that some of them dyed Martyrs that the work of the Reformation was greatly owned and blessed of God and therefore our Non-acquiescency therein but desiring a farther Reformation of the Church then what they saw and judged necessary is unreasonable and that what we endeavour therein though never so peaceably is Schismatical But 1. None do more bless God for the first Reformers and the work they did than we do none have an higher Esteem of their Persons Abilities Graces and Sufferings than we have None cleave more firmly to their Doctrine which was the Life and Soul of the Reformation then we nor desire more to follow them in their Godly Design They are not of us who have declared that the Death of King Edward was an happiness or no unhappiness to the Church of England nor who have reflected on the Reformation as needless and given Assurance that if it had not been undertaken Salvation might have been obtained safely enough in the Church of Rome nor were they of us who have questioned the Zeal and Prudence of the Martyrs of those Days in Suffering We have other thoughts concerning them another kind of Remembrance of them 2. The Titles assigned unto them of Wise Learned Holy Zealous are fully answered by that Reformation of the Church in its Doctrine and Worship which God wrought by their Ministry so that none without the highest ingratitude can derogate any thing from them in these things But it is no disparagement unto any of the Sons of Men any Officers of
Preservation of Church Peace and Unity All the Dispute is whether we keep unto this Rule of Christ or no wherein we are ready at any time to put our selves upon the Trial being willing to Teach or Learn as God shall help us Secondly We say that this Rule in general is the Rule of Faith Love and Obedience contained and revealed in the Scripture and in particular the Commands that the Lord Christ hath given for the Order and Worship that he requires in his Churches It may seem strange to some that we should suppose the due Observance of the Rule of Faith Love and Obedience that is of Faith real and unfeigned Love fervent and without Dissimulation and of Universal gracious Evangelical Obedience to be necessary unto the Preservation of Church Peace and Unity But we do affirm with some confidence that the only real Foundation of them doth lye herein nor do we value that Ecclesiastical Peace which may be without it or is neglective of it Let all the Christian World or those therein who concern themselves in us Know that this is our Principle and our Judgment that no Church Peace or Vnity is valued by or accepted with Jesus Christ that is not founded in that doth not arise from and is the effect of a diligent Attendance unto and Observance of the entire Gospel Rule of Faith and Obedience In the Neglect hereof Peace is is but Carnal Security and Unity is nothing but a Conspiracy against the Rule of Christ. Add hereunto in particular the due Observation of what the Lord Christ hath appointed to be done and observed in his Churches as unto their Order Rule and Worship and they who walk according unto this Rule need not fear the Charge of Schisme from the fiercest of their Adversaries Wherefore we say Thirdly Those who recede from this Rule in any material Branch of it are guilty of the Breach of Church Vnity according to the Measure of their Exorbitancy As suppose that any Preach Teach or Profess Doctrines that are contrary to the form of wholesome Words especially with reference unto the Person Offices and Grace of Christ which are the Subject of Doctrines purely Evangelical they break the Peace of the Church and we are bound to separate or withdraw Communion from them which is a Means of preserving the true Peace and Unity of the Church Speciosum quidem est Nomen Pacis pulchra Opinio Vnitatis sed quis ambigat eam solam unicam Ecclesiae Pacem esse quae Christi est saith Hilary Suppose that men retain a Form of Godliness in the Profession of the Truth but deny the Power of it acting their habitual Lusts and Corruptions in a vitious Conversation they overthrow the Foundation of the Churches Unity and we are obliged from such to turn away The like may be said of those who live in a constant neglect of any of the Commands of Christ with respect unto the Order Rule and Worship of the Church with a contempt of the Means appointed by him for their Edification All these according unto the Measures of their Deviations from the Rule of Christ do disturb the Foundation of all Church Peace and Unity And therefore we say Fourthly That Conscience is immediately and directly concerned in no other Church Vnity as such but what is an effect of the Rule of Christ given unto that End We know what is spoken concerning Obedience unto the Guides and Rulers of the Church which is a part of the Rule of Christ. But we know withal that this Obedience is required of us only as they teach us to observe and do all that he hath commanded for other Commission from him they have none When this Rule is forsaken and another substituted in the room of it as it quickly diverts the Minds of Men from a Conscientious Attendance unto that Rule of Christ as the only means of Church Vnity so that other doth either proceed from mens secular Interests or may easily be accommodated thereunto And whereas the Lines of it must be drawn in the Feilds of pretended Indifferencies and real Arbitrariness it will be the cause of endless Contentions whilst whatever some think themselves to have Power to appoint others will judge themselves to have Liberty to refuse Fifthly It is Vnity of Christs Appointment that Schism respects as a Sin against it and not Vniformity in things of Mens Appointment And Lastly Those who charge Schisme on others for a dissent from themselves or the refraining of Total Communion with them must 1. Discharge themselves of the Charge of it in a consistence with their charge on them For we find as yet no Arrows shot against us but such as are gathered up in the Feilds shot at them that use them out of the Roman Quiver Neither will it avail them to say that they have other manner of Reason for their Separation from the Church of Rome than any we have for our withdrawing Communion from them For the Question is not what Reasons they have for what they do but what Right and Power they have to do it namely to separate from the Church whereof they were constituting a new Church state of their own without the consent of that Church and against the Order and Authority of the same 2. Require no Communion but by vertue of the Rule before declared In no other are we concerned with respect unto the Peace and Unity of the Church 3. Give a farther Confirmation than what we have yet seen unto the Principles or Presumptions they proceed upon in the Mannagement of the Charge of Schisme As that 1. Diocesan Bishops with their Metropolitans are of Divine Institution 2. That the Power of Rule in and over all Churches is committed unto them alone 3. That the Church hath Power to ordain Religious Rites and Ceremonies no where prescribed in the Scripture and impose the Observation of them on all Members of the Church 4. That this Church they are 5. That no Mans Voluntary Consent is required to constitute him a Member of any Church but that every one is surprized into that state whether he will or no. 6 That there is nothing of force in the Arguments pleaded for Non-compliance with Arbitrary unnecessary Impositions 7. That the Church standeth in no need of Reformation neither in Doctrine Discipline nor Conversation with sundry other things of an alike Nature that they need unto their Justification But yet when all is done it will appear that mutual Forbearance first removing Animosities then administring Occasion of inoffensive Converse unto the revival of decayed Affections leading unto sedate Conferences and Considerations of a more entire conjunction in the things whereunto we have attained will more conduce unto Universal Peace and Gospel Unity than the most fierce contentions about things in difference or the most vehement Charges of Schisme against Dissenters But I must return to the Argument and shall add something giving Light into the Nature of Schism from an
Instance in the Primitive Churches That which is first in any kind gives the Measure of what follows in the same kind and Light into the Nature of them Whereas therefore the Schisme that was among the Churches about the Observation of Easter was the first that fell out unto the Disturbance of their Communion I shall give a breif account of it as far as the Question in hand is concerned in it It is evident that the Apostles did with care and diligence teach the Doctrine of Christian Liberty warning the Disciples to stand fast in it and not submit their Necks unto any Yoke of Bondage in the things of the Worship of God especially the Apostle Paul had frequent Occasions to treat of this subject And what they taught in Doctrine they established and confirmed in their Practice For they enjoyned nothing to be observed in the Church but what was necessary and what they had the Command of Christ for leaving the Observation of things indifferent unto their Original Indifferency But whereas they had decreed by the Direction of the Holy Ghost some necessary Condescensions in the Gentile Believers towards the Jews in case of Offence or Scandal they did themselves make use of their Liberty to comply with the same Jews in some of their Observances not yet unlawful Hereon there ensued in several Churches different Observations of some Rites and Customes which they apprehended were countenanced by the Practise of the Apostles at least as it had been reported unto them For immediately after the Decease of the Apostles very many Mistakes and Vntruths were reported concerning what they said did and practised which some diligently collected from Old Men it may be almost delirant as Eusebius gives an Instance in Papias lib. 3. cap. 36. And even the great Irenaeus himself was imposed upon in a Matter directly contrary to the Scripture under a Pretence of Apostolical Tradition Among those Reports was that of the Observation of Easter And for a while the Churches continued in these different Observances without the least disturbance of their Communion each one following that which it thought the most probable Tradition for Rule of Scripture they pretended not unto But after a while they began to fall into a Contest about these things which began at Laodicea which Church was as likely to strive about such things as any other For Eusebius tells us that Melito the Bishop of Sardis wrote two Books about Easter beginning the first with an Account that he wrote them when Servilius Paulus was Proconsul there being then a great stir about it at Laodicea Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 25. But as it falls out on such Occasions much talk and disputing ensuing thereon the differences were encreased until one side or Party at Variance would make their Opinion and Practise the Rule and Terms of Communion unto all other Churches But this was quickly condemned by those who were Wise and Sober For as Zozoman affirmes they accounted it a frivolous or foolish thing to differ about a Custom whereas they agreed in all the principal Heads of Religion And thereon he gives a large Account of different Rites and Observances in many Churches without any breach of Communion among them adding that besides those enumerated by him there were many others in Cities and Villages which they did in a different manner adhere unto Hist. lib. 7. cap. 19. At length this Matter fell into the handling of Victor Bishop of Rome And his Judgment was that the Observation of Easter on the Lords Day and not on the fourteenth day of the first Month precisely according to the Computation of the Jews in the Observation of the Passover was to be imposed on all the Churches of Christ every where It had all along until his time been judged a thing indifferent wherein the Churches and all Believers were left unto the use of their own Liberty He had no pretence of any Divine Institution making it necessary the Writers of those days constantly affirming that the Apostles made no Canons Rules or Laws about such things He had Persons of as great Worth as any in the World as Melito Polycrates Polycarpus that opposed him not only as unto the Imposition of his Practice on others but as unto his Error as they judged in the Matter of Fact and Right Yet all this could not hinder but that he would needs have the Reputation of the Father of Schismes among the Churches of Christ by his Impositions and cut off all the Asian Churches from Communion declaring them and their Members Excommunicate Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 23. The Noise hereof coming abroad unto other Churches great Offence was taken at it by many of them and Victor was roundly dealt withal by sundry of them who agreed with him in Practise but abhorred his Imposition of it and making it a Condition of Church Communion Among those who so opposed and rebuked him Irenaeus was the most Eminent And I shall observe some few things out of the Fragment of his Epistle as it is recorded by Euseb. lib. 5. cap. 23. And 1. He tells us that he wrote unto Victor in the name of those Brethren in France whom he did preside amongst The Custom of considering things of this Nature with all the Brethren of the Church and writing their Determination in their Name was not yet grown out of use though the Practise of it now would be esteemed Novel and Schismatical 2. He tells Victor that there were great varieties in this thing as also in the Times and Seasons of Fasting which did not saith he begin or arise in our days but long before was introduced by such who being in Places of Rule rejected and changed the common and simple Customs which the Church had before The Dr. therefore need not think it so strange that an Alteration in Church Order and Rule should fall out in after Ages when long before Irenaeus's time such Changes were begun 3. He gives hereon that excellent Rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Difference of Fastings and consequently things of an alike Nature commends the Concord or Agreement of Faith This was the first Effect of a Departure from the only Rule of Unity and Communion among the Churches which was given by Christ himself and his Apostles As hereby great Confusion and Disorder was brought upon the Churches so it was the first publick inroad that was made on the Doctrine of the Scripture concerning Christian Liberty And as it was also the first Instance of rejecting Men otherwise found in the Faith from Communion for Non-Conformity or the Non-Observance of Humane Institutions or Traditions which had therein an unhappy Consecration unto the use of future Ages so it was the first notorious Entrance into that Usurpation of Power in the Roman Bishops which they carried on by degrees unto an absolute Tyranny Neither was there ever a more pernitious Maxime broached in the Primitive Times nor which had a more effectual Influence into the Ruine
of the first Institution and Liberty of the Churches of Christ. For although the Fact of Victor was condemned by many yet the Principle he proceeded on was afterwards espoused and put in Practice Our Reverend Author will hardly find an Instance before this of Schisme among any Churches that retained the Substance of the Doctrine of Faith unless it be in those Divisions which fell out in some particular Churches among the Members of them And this we affirm to be in general the Case of the Non-conformists at this day For admitting such Variations as Time and other Circumstances must necessarily infer and they are rejected from Communion on the same grounds that Victor proceeded on in the Excommunication of the Churches of Asia Neither will there be any End of Differences whilst the same Principle is retained Before this Schisme was only esteemed a defect in Love and breach of the Rule of Christs Appointment for the Communion and walking together of Believers in the same Church But this Notion of Schism is in the Judgment of Dr. Still Pref. p. 46. so mean so jejune so narrow a Notion of it that I cannot saith he but wonder that men of Vnderstanding should be satisfied with it But in my Judgement the Author of it was a Man of Good Vnderstanding indeed I have heard him spoken of as one of abstruse Speculations that did not advantage Christian Religion And one hath published in Print that he is one of the Obscurest Writers that ever he read but never heard him before charged with mean and jejune Notions Now this was St Paul who expresly chargeth Schisme on the Church of Corinth because of the Divisions that were among them namely the Members of the same particular Church so as they could not come together in one place in a due manner Nor in all his Writings doth he any where give us any other Notion of Schisme But saith he this is short of that care of the Churches Peace which Christ hath made so great a Duty of his followers But if thâ—re be no other Rule no other Duty for the Preservation of the Churches Peace but only that no separation be made from it which is called Schisme we might have been all quiet in the Church of Rome Let no Man think to perswade us but that for the Preservation of the Churches Peace it is required of us that we do and observe all things that Christ requireth of us and that we enjoyn not the Observation of what he hath not Commanded on Victors Penalty of being excluded from Communion that Faith and Love and Holiness be Kept and promoted in the Church by all the ways of his Appointment And when these things are attended unto St. Paul's mean and jejune Notion of Schisme will be of good use also Nor was there the least Appearance of any other kind of Schisme among the Churches of Christ until that which was occasioned by Victor of which we have spoken The Schismes that followed afterwards were six to one from the Contentions of Bishops or those who had an Ambition so to be which the Apostle foresaw as Clemens witnesseth and made provision against it but that no banks are strong enough to confine the overflowing Ambition of some sort of Persons But saith the Dr. Pref. p. 47. The Obligation to preserve the Peace of the Church extends to all lawful constitutions in order â—o it Therefore to break the Peace of the Church we live in for the sake of any Lawful Orders and Constitutions made to preserve it is directly the sin of Schisme Now Schisme he tells us is as great and dangerous a sin as Murder p. 45. and we know that no Murderer hath eternal Life abiding in him 1 Joh. 3 1â— So that all men here seem to be adjudged unto Hell who comply not with who submit not unto our Ecclesiastical Conâ—titutions or Canons God forbid that ever such Doctrine should be looked on as to have the least affinity unto the Gospel or such Censures to have any savour of the Spirit of Christ in them The Lord Jesus Christ hath not cast the Eternal Condition of those whom he purchased with his own most precious blood into the Arbitrary disposal of any that shall take upon them to make Ecclesiastical Constitutions and Orders for Conformity in Rites and Ceremonies c. Shall we think that he who upon the best use of Means for his Instruction which he is capable of with fervent Prayers to God for Light and Direction cannot comply with and submit unto some Ecclesiastical Constitutions and Orders however pretended to be made foâ— the preservation of Peace and Vnity of the Church on this Ground principally because they are not of the Appointment nor have the Approbation of Jesus Christ though he should mistake herein and miss of his Duty is guilty of no less sin than that of Murder suppose of Cain in Killing his Brother For all Murder is from Hatred and Malice This is that which enflames the Differences amongst us For it is a Scandal of the highest nature when men do see that Persons who in any thing dissent from our Ecclesiastical Constitutions though otherwise sober honest pious and peaceable are looked on as bad if not worse than Theives and Murderers and are dealt withal accordingly Nor can any thing be more effectual to harden others in their Immoralities than to find themselves approved by the Guides of the Church in comparison with such Dissenters But 2. Who is it that shall make these Orders and Constitutions that must be observed for the Preservation of the Unity and Peace of the Church It can be none but those who have power so to do by being uppermost in any Place or Time Who shall judge them to be Lawful no doubt they that make them And what shall these Constitutions be about what shall they extend unto any thing in the World so there be no mention of it in the Scripture one way or other What if any one should now dissent from these Constitutions and not submit unto them why then he is guilty of Schisme as great and dangerous a sin as that of Murder But when all is done what if these Constitutions and Orders should be no ways needful or useful unto the Preservation of the Peace of the Church What if a supposition that they are so reflects dishonour on the Wisdom and Love of Christ What if they are unlawful and unwarrantable the Lord Christ not having given Power and Authority unto any sort of men to make any such Constitutions What if they are the great ways and means of breaking the Vnity and Peace of the Church These and other Enquiries of the like nature must be clearly resolved not by the Dictates of mens own Minds and Spirits but from the Word of Truth before this Intimation can be complied withal But that which is fallen out most beyond Expectation in this whole Discourse is that the Reverend Author seeking by all
least that any other Person had undertaken or would undertake the Consideration of the Drs. Sermon I thought that My endeavour for the removal of the Obstacle cast in the way unto a sincere Coalition in the Vnity of Faith among all sorts of Protestants might not be unacceptable Neither did I see any other way whereby this might be done but only by a Vindication of the Dissenters from the Guilt of that state which if it be truly charged on them must render our Divisions irreconcileable And continuing still of the same Mind I have once more renewed the same Defensative with no other Design but to maintain hopes that Peace and Love may yet be preserved among us during the continuation of these Differences And whereas it is a work of Almighty Power to reduce Christian Religion unto its first Purity and Simplicity which will not be effected but by various providential Dispensations in the World and renewed Effusions of the Holy Spirit from above which are to be waited for and seeing that all endeavours for National Reformation are attended with insuperable Difficulties few Churches being either able or willing to extricate themselves from the Dust of Traditions and Time with the Rust of Secular Interests I would hope that they shall not be always the Object of publick Severities who keeping the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Truth and Peace with all sincere Disciples of Christ every where do design nothing but a Reformation of themselves and their ways by an universal compliance with the Will and Word of Christ alone whom God hath commanded them in all things to hear and obey The Reduction I say of the Profession of Christianity in general unto its Primitive Purity Simplicity Separation from the World and all Implication with Secular Interests so as that it should comprize nothing but the Guidance of the Souls of Men in the Life of God towards the Enjoyment of him is a Work more to be prayed for to come in its proper season then to be expected in this Age. Nor do any yet appear fitted in the least Measure for the undertaking or attempting such a Work any farther then by their own Personal Profession and Example And whilst things continue amongst Protestant Churches in the State wherein they are under the Influence of divided secular Interests and advantagious Mixtures with them with the Reliques of the Old General Apostasie by differences in points of Doctrine in Rules of Discipline in Orders of Divine Worship it is in vain to look for any Union or Communion among them in a compliance with any certain Rule of Vniformity either in the Profession of Faith or in the Practice of Worship and Discipline Nor would such an Agreement among them could it be attained be of any great Advantage unto the important ends of Religion unless a Revival of the Power of it in the Soules of Men do accompany it In the mean time the Glory of our Christian Profession in Righteousness Holiness and a visible Dedication of its Professors unto God is much lost in the World innumerable Souls perishing through the want of effectual means for their Conversion and Edification To attempt publick National Reformation whilst things Ecclesiastick and Civil are so involved as they are the one being riveted into the legal constitution of the other is neither the Duty nor Work of Private men Nor will as I suppose Wise Men be over forward in attempting any such thing unless they had better Evidence of means to make it effectual then any that do as yet appear For the Religion of a Nation in every form will answer the Ministry of it What is the present Duty in this State of things of those private Christians or Ministers who cannot satisfie their Consciences as unto their Duty towards God without endeavouring a Conformity unto the Will of Christ in the Observance of all his Institutions and Commands confining all their Concerns in Religion unto things Spiritual and Heavenly is the Enquiry before us CHAP. I. Of the Original of Churches WHEN any thing which is pleaded to belong unto Religion or the Worship of God is proposed unto us Our first Consideration of it ought to be in that Enquiry which our Lord Jesus Christ made of the Pharisees concerning the Baptism of John Whence is it from Heaven or of Men He distributes all things which come under that Plea or Pretence into two heads as unto their Original and Efficient cause namely Heaven and Men. And these are not only different and distinct but so contradictory one unto another that as unto any thing wherein Religion or the Worship of God is concerned they cannot concur as partial causes of the same effect What is of Men is not from Heaven and what is from Heaven is not of Men. And hence is his determination concerning both sorts of these things Every plant which my Heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up Mat. 15.13 Designing therefore to treat of Churches their Original Nature Vse and End my first Enquiry must be whether they are from Heaven or of Men that is whether they are of a Divine Original having a Divine Institution or whether they are an Ordinance or Creation of Men For their Pedigree must be derived from one of these singly they never concurred in the Constitution of any part of Divine Worship or any thing that belongs thereunto This would seem a case and enquiry of an exceeding easie determination For the Scripture every where makes mention of the Church or Churches as the Ordinances and Institutions of God But such things have falln out in the World in latter Ages as may make men justly question whether we understand the mind of God aright or no in what is spoken of them At least if they should allow that the Churches so mentioned in the Scripture were of Divine Appointment yet it might be highly questionable whether those which have since been in the World be not a meer product of the invention and power of men 1. For many Ages such things alone were proposed unto the world and imposed on it for the only Church as were from Hell rather than from Heaven at least from Men and those none of the best For all men in these Western parts of the world were obliged to believe and profess on the penalties of Eternal and Temporal Destruction that the Pope of Rome and those depending on him were the only Church in the World If this should be granted as it was almost universally in some Ages and in this is earnestly contended for there would be a thousand evidences to prove that the institution of Churches is not from Heaven but from Men. Whether the inventions of men in the mystery of iniquity be to be received again or no men of secular Wisdom and Interest may do well to consider but he must be blind and mad and accursed in his mind and understanding who can think of receiving it as from
which hath been various And it is meerly from a spirit of Contention that some call on us or others to produce express Testimony or Institution for every Circumstance in the Practice of Religious Duties in the Church and on a supposed failure herein to conclude that they have Power themselves to Institute and Ordain such Ceremonies as they think meet under a Pretence of their being Circumstances of Worship For as the Directive Light of Nature is sufficient to guide us in these things so the obligation of the Church unto it makes all stated Additions to be useless as on other accounts they are noxious Such things as these are the Times and Seasons of Church Assemblies the Order and Decency wherein all things are to be transacted in them the bounding of them as unto the number of their Members and places of Habitation so as to answer the ends of their Institution the multiplication of Churches when the number of Believers exceeds the Proportion capable of Edification in such Societies what especial Advantages are to be made use of in the Order and Worship of the Church such as are Methods in Preaching Translations and Tunes of Psalms in singing Continuance in publick Duties and the like the things themselves being divinely instituted are capable of such general Directions in and by the Light of Nature as may with ordinary Christian Prudence be on all occasions applied unto the Use and Practice of the Church To forsake these Directions and instead of them to invent ways modes forms and ceremonies of our own which the things whereunto they are applied and made use of in do no way call for require or own as it is with all humanely invented Stated Ceremonies and thereon by Laws and Canons to determine their precise observation at all times and seasons to be one and the same which is contrary to the very nature of the Circumstances of such Acts and Duties as they are applyed unto their use in the mean time unto the general end of edification being as indemonstrable as their necessity unto the Duties whereunto they are annexed is also It is that which hath no warranty either from Divine Authority or Christian Prudence This respect of the Gospel Church-State unto the Light of Nature the Apostle demonstrates in his frequent Appeals unto it in things that belong unto Church-Order 1 Cor. 7.29 33.7 chap. 9.7 chap. 11.14 15 16. chap. 14.8 9 10 11. ver 32 33. ver 40. And the like is done in sundry other places And the Reasons of it are evident 2. But such is the especial Nature and condition of the Evangelical-Church-State such the Relation of it unto the Person and Mediation of Jesus Christ with all things thereon depending such the Nature of that especial Honour and Glory which God designs unto himself therein things that the Light of Nature can give no Guidance unto nor direction about And moreover so different and distant from all that was before ordained in any other Church-State are the Ways Means and Duties of Divine Worship prescribed in it that it must have a peculiar Divine Institution of its own to evidence that it is from Heaven and not from Men. The present State of the Church under the New Testament the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 7.11 It s Perfection its Consummation that perfect State which God designed unto it in this World And he denies that it could be brought into that State by the Law or any of the Divine Institutions that belonged thereunto Heb. 7.19 chap. 9.9 chap. 10.1 And we need go no farther we need no other Argument to prove that the Gospel-Church-State as unto its especial nature is founded in a peculiar Divine Institution For it hath a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a perfect consummate State which the Law could not bring it unto though itself its Ordinances of Worship its Rule and Policy were all of Divine Institution And herein doth its Excellency and Preference above the legal Church-State consist as the Apostle proves at large To suppose that this should be given unto it any other way but by Divine Authority in its Institution is to advance the Wisdom and Authority of men above those of God and to render the Gospel-Church-State a Machine to be moved up and down at pleasure to be new moulded or shaped according unto Occasions or to be turned unto any Interest like the Wings of a Mill unto the Wind. All the Dignity Honour and Perfection of the State of the Church under the Old Testament depended solely hereon that it was in the whole and all the particulars of it of Divine Institution Hence it was Glorious that is very excellent as the Apostle declares 2. Cor. 3. And if the Church-State of the New Testament have not the same Original it must be esteemed to have a greater Glory given unto it by the hand of men than the other had in that it was instituted by God himself for a greater Glory it hath as the Apostle testifieth Neither can any man nor dareth any man alive to give any Instance in particular wherein there is the least defect in the Being Constitution Rule and Government of the Gospel-Church-State for want of Divine Institution so as that it should be necessary to make a supply thereof by the Wisdom and Authority of men But these things will be more fully spoken unto after we have declared Who it is who hath divinely instituted this Church State 3. The Name of the Church under the New Testament is capable of a threefold Application or it is taken in a three-fold Notion As 1 For the Catholick invisible Church or Society of Elect Believers in the whole World really related by Faith in him unto the Lord Jesus Christ as their mystical Head 2 For the whole number of visible Professors in the whole World who by Baptism and the outward Profession of the Gospel and Obedience unto Christ are distinguished from the rest of the World And 3 for such a state as wherein the Worship of God is to be celebrated in the Way and Manner by him appointed and which is to be ruled by the Power which he gives it and according to the Discipline which he hath ordained Of the Nature of the Church under these distinct Notions with our Relation unto either or all of them and the Duties required of us thereon I have treated fully in my Discourse of Evangelical Love and Church Peace or Vnity and thither I must remit the Reader It is the Church in the latter sense alone whose Original we now enquire after And I say 4. The Original of this Church-state is directly immediately and solely from Jesus Christ He alone is the Author Contriver and Institutor of it When I say it is immediately and solely from him I do not intend that in and by his own Person or in his Personal Ministry here in the Earth he did absolutely and compleatly finish this State exclusively unto the Ministry of
entertained pleasing Dreams of Thrones Preheminencies Chief Sees secular Grandeur and Power nor framed so many Laws and Canons about these things turning the whole Rule of the Church into a Worldly Empire For such it was that as of all the Popes which ever dwelt at Rome there was never any pretended or acted a greater Zeal for the Rule and Government of the Church by the Laws and Canons that it had made for that End than Gregory the 7 th so if ever there were any Anti-Christ in the World as there are many Anti-Christs he was one His Luciferian Pride his Trampling on all Christian Kings and Potentates his horrible Tyranny over the Consciences of all Christians his abominable Dictates asserting of his own God-like Soveraignty his Requiring all men on the pain of Damnation to be sinful Subjects to God and Peter that is himself which his own Acts and Epistles are filled withal do manifest both who and what he was Unto that Issue did this Power of Law or Canon making for the Honour and Dignity of Church Rulers at length arrive 3. Let the Constitution of the Church by Jesus Christ abide and remain let the Laws for its Rule Government and Worship which he hath recorded in the Scripture be diligenty observed by them whose Duty it is to take Care about them both to observe them themselves and to teach others so to do and we know full well there will be no occasion given or left unto the least Confusion or Disorder in the Church But if men will be froward and because they may not make Laws themselves or keep the Statutes made by others will neglect the due Observation and Execution of what Christ hath ordained or will deny that we may and ought in and for the due Observation of his Laws to make use of the inbred Light of Nature and Rules of common Prudence the Use and Exercise of both which are included and enjoyned in the Commands of Christ in that he requires a Compliance with them in the way of Obedience which we cannot perform without them I know of no Relief against the Perpetuity of our Differences about these things But after so much Scorn and Contempt hath been cast upon that Principle that it is not lawful to observe any thing in the Rule of the Church or Divine Worship in a constant Way by vertue of any humane Canons or Laws that is not prescribed in the Scripture if we could prevail with men to give us one single Instance which they would abide by wherein the Rules and Institutions of Christ are so defective as that without their Canonical Additions Order cannot be observed in the Church nor the Worship of God be duly performed and it shall be diligently attended unto Allow the General Rules given us in the Scripture for Church-Order and Worship to be applied unto all proper Occasions and Circumstances with Particular Positive Divine Precepts Allow also that the Apostles in what they did and acted in the Constitution and Ordering of the Churches and their Worship did and acted it in the Name and by the Authority of Christ as also that there needs no other means of affecting and obliging our Consciences in these things but only that the Mind and Will of Christ be intimated and made known unto us though not in the form of a Law given and promulgated which I suppose no men of sober Minds or Principles can disallow and then give an Instance of such a Deficiency as that mentioned in the Institutions of Christ and the whole Difference in this matter will be rightly stated and not else But to return from this Digression 2dly The Scripture doth not only ascribe this Authority unto Christ alone but it giveth Instances of his Vse and Exercise thereof which comprize all that is necessary unto the Constitution and Ordering of his Churches and the Worship of them 1 He buildeth his own House Heb. 3.3 2 He appointeth Offices for Rule in his Churches and Officers 1 Cor. 12 5. Rom 12.6 7 8. 3 He gives Gifts for the Administrations of the Church Ephes. 4.11 12 13. 1 Cor. 11 12. 4 He gives Power and Authority unto them that are to Minister and Rule in the Church c. which things must be afterwards spoken unto 3dly As unto this Constitution of the Gospel-Church-State the Scripture assigneth in an especial manner Faithfulness unto the Lord Christ Heb. 3.3 4 5. This Power is originally in God himself It belongs unto him alone as the great Soveraign of all his Creatures Unto Christ as Mediator it was given by the Father and the whole of it intrusted with him Hence it follows that in the Execution of it he hath respect unto the Mind and Will of God as unto what he would have done and ordered with respect whereunto this Power was committed unto him And here his Faithfulness takes place exerted in the Revelation of the whole Mind of God in this matter instituting appointing and commanding all that God would have so ordained and nothing else And what can any man do that cometh after the King Hereunto there is added on the same Account the Consideration of his Wisdom his Love and Care for the good of his Church which in him were ineffable and inimitable By all these things was he fitted for his Office and the work that was reserved for him so as that he might in all things have the Preheminency And this was to make the last and only full perfect compleat Revelation of the Mind and Will of God as unto the State Order Faith Obedience and Worship of the Church There was no Perfection in any of these things until he took this work in hand Wherefore it may justly be supposed that he hath so perfectly stated and established all things concerning his Churches and Worship therein being the last Divine Hand that was to be put to this Work and this his Hand Heb. 1.2 3. that whatever is capable of a Law or a Constitution for the use of the Church at all times or is needful for his Disciples to observe is revealed declared and established by him And in this Persuasion I shall abide until I see better Fruits and Effects of the Interposition of the Wisdom and Authority of men unto the same Ends which he designed than as yet I have been able in any Age to observe The substance of the things pleaded may for the greater Evidence of their Truth be reduced unto the ensuing Heads or Propositions 1. Every Church-State that hath an especial Institution of its own giving its especial kind supposeth and hath respect unto the Law and Light of Nature requiring and directing in general those things which belong unto the Being Order and Preservation of such Societies as that is That there ought to be Societies wherein men voluntarily joyn together for the solemn Performance of Divine Worship and joynt walking in obedience before God that these Societies ought to use such means for their own
He hath not left this great concernment of his Glory unto the Wills of men or any Order they shall think meet to appoint Lastly As a means of it it depends on three things in Believers themselves 1 A due sense of their Duty to be found in Obedience unto all the Commands of Christ. Hereby they find themselves indispensibly obliged unto all those things which are necessary unto the continuation of this State and that all Believers should absolutely at any time live in a total neglect of their Duty though they may greatly mistake in the manner of its performance is not to be supposed 2 The Instinct of the new Creature and those in whom it is so associate themselves in holy Communion for the joynt and mutual exercise of those Graces of the Spirit which are the same as unto the Essence of them in them all The Laws of Christ in and unto his Church as unto all outward Obedience are suited unto those inward Principles and Inclinations which by his Spirit and Grace he hath implanted in the Hearts of them that believe Hence his Yoke is easy and his Commandments are not grievous And therefore none of his true Disciples since he had a Church upon the Earth did or could satisfy themselves in their own Faith and Obedience singularly and personally but would venture their lives and all that was dear unto them for Communion with others and the associating themselves with them of the same Spirit and way for the observance of the Commands of Christ. The Martyrs of the Primitive Churches of old lost more of their Blood and Lives for their Meetings and Assemblies than for personal Profession of the Faith and so also have others done under the Roman Apostacy It is an usual Plea among them who ingage in the Persecution or Punishment of such as differ from them that if they please they may keep their Opinions their Consciences and Faith unto themselves without Meetings for Communion or publick Worship And herein they suppose they deal friendly and gently with them And this is our present Case It is true indeed as Tertullian observed of old that men in these things have no Power over us but what they have from our own Wills we willingly choose to be and to continue what they take advantage to give us trouble for And it is naturally in our Power to free our selves from them and their Laws every day But we like it not we cannot purchase outward Peace and Quietness at any such rate But as was said the inward Instinct of Believers from the same Principles of Faith Love and all the Graces of the Spirit in them all doth efficaciously lead and incline them unto their joynt exercise in Societies unto the Glory of Christ and their own Edification or encrease of the same Graces in them When this appears to be under the Guidance of the Commands of Christ as unto the ways of Communion lead unto and to consist in a compliance therewithal they find themselves under an indispensible Obligation unto it Nor hath the Lord Christ left them liberty to make a Composition for their outward Peace and to purchase Quietness with foregoing any part of their Duty herein This therefore I say is a Means and Cause on the part of Believers themselves of the continuation of this Church-State For this Instinct of Believers leading them unto Communion which is an Article of our Faith in conjunction with the Law and Commands of Christ giving direction how and in what ways it is to be attained and exercised binds and obliges them unto the continuation of this State and the decay of this inward Principle in them that profess Christian Religion hath been the great and almost only ground of its neglect 3. The open Evidence there is that sundry Duties required of us in the Gospel can never be performed in a due manner but where Believers are brought into this State which that they should enter into is therefore in the first place required of them what these Duties are will afterwards appear On these sure Grounds is founded the Continuation of the Gospel Church-State under ordinary Officers after the Decease of the Apostles and so far secured as that nothing needs be added unto them for that end Do but suppose that the Lord Christ yet liveth in Heaven in the Discharge of his Mediatory Office that he hath given his Word for a perpetual Law unto all his Disciples and a Charter to convey Spiritual Priviledges unto them that he abides to Communicate Gifts for the Ministry unto men and that there are any Believers in the World who know it to be their Duty to yield Obedience unto all the Commands of Christ. and have any internal Principle enclining them to that which they profess to believe as a fundamental Article of their Faith namely the Communion of Saints and no man is desired to prove the certainty and necessity of the continuance of this State But there are some who maintain that the Continuation and Preservation of this Church State depends solely on a successive Ordination of Church Officers from the Apostles and so down throughout all Ages unto the end of the World For this they say is the only means of conveying Church Power from one time to another so as that if it fail all Church-State Order and Power must fall never in this World to be recovered There is they say a Flux of Power through the hands of the Ordainers unto the Ordained by vertue of their outward Ordination whereon the Being of the Church doth depend Howbeit those who use this Plea are not at all agreed about those things which are essential in and unto this successive Ordination Some think that the Lord Christ committed the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven unto Peter only and he to the Bishop of Rome alone from whose Person therefore all their Ordination must be derived Some think and those on various Grounds that it is committed unto all and only Diocesan Bishops whose Being and Beginning are very uncertain Others require no more unto it but that Presbyters be ordained by Presbyters who were rejected in their Plea by both the former sorts and other differences almost innumerable among them who are thus minded might be reckoned up But whereas this whole Argument about Personal successive Ordination hath been fully handled and the Pretences of it disproved by the chiefest Protâ—stant Writers against the Papists and because I design not an Opposition unto what others think and do but the Declaration and Confirmation of the Truth in what we have proposed to insist upon I shall very briefly discover the falseness of this Pretence and pass on unto what is principally intended in this Discourse 1. The Church is before all its ordinary Officers and therefore its continuation cannot depend on their successive Ordination It is so as essentially considered though its being Organical is Simultaneous with their Ordination Extraordinary Officers were before the
Rule Honour Riches or secular Grandeur but the direct contrary Matth. 20.25 26 27 28. Nor did he do it that his Disciples might be ruled and governed by force or the Laws of men or that they should be obstructed in the exercise of any Graces Gifts or Priviledges that he had purchased for them or would bestow on them And to speak plainly let it be despised by them that please this cannot greatly value that Church-State which is not suited to guide excite and direct the exercise of all Evangelical Graces unto the Glory of Christ in a due manner For to propose peculiar and proper objects for them to give peculiar motives unto them to limit the seasons and circumstances of their exercise and regulate the manner of the Performance of the Duties that arise from them is one principal End of their Institution It would be too long to make a particular enquiry into all the ends for which the Lord Christ appointed this Church-State which indeed are all the Duties of the Gospel either in themselves or in the manner of their Performance We may reduce them unto these three general Heads 1. The pâ—ofessed Subjection of the Souls and Consciences of Believers unto his Authority in their Observance of his Commandments He requireth that all who are baptized into his Name be taught to do and observe all things whatever he commanded Matth. 28.18 19 20. And God is to be Glorified not only in their Subjection but in their professed Subjection unto the Gospel of Christ. 2 Cor. 19.13 Having given an express charge unto his Disciples to make publick Profession of his Name and not to be deterred from it by shame or fear of any thing that may befal them on the account thereof and that on the Penalty of his disowning them before his Heavenly Father Matth. 8.33 34 35 36 37 38 Matth. 10.33 He hath appointed this Church-State as the way and means whereby they may joyntly and visibly make profession of this their Subjection to him Dependance on him and Freedom in the Observation of all his commands He will not have this done singly and personally only but in Society and conjunction Now this cannot be done in any Church-State imaginable wherein the Members of the Church cannot meet together for this end which they can only do in such a Church as is Congregational 2. The joynt celebration of all Gospel Ordinances and Worship is the great and principal End of the Evangelical Church State How far this is directed unto by the Law of Nature was before declared Man was made for Society in things natural and civil but especially in things Spiritual or such as concern the Worship of God Hereon depends the nâ—cessâ—â—y of parâ—iâ—ular Churches or Societâ—es for Divine Worship And this is declared to be the End of the Churches instituted by Christ. Act. 2 42. 1 Cor. 11.20 1 Cor. 5.4 5. 1 Tim. 2.1 2. as also of the Institution of Officers in the Church for the Solemn Administration of the Ordinances of this Worship And the Reasons of this Appointment are intimated in the Scripture as 1 That it might be a way for the joynt Exercise of the Graces and Gifts of the Spirit as was in general before mentioned The Lord Christ gâ—ves both his Grace and his Gifts in great variety of measures Ephes. 4.7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given unto every man to profit withal 1 Cor. 12.7 8. He gives neither of them unto any meerly for themselves Saving Grace is firstly given for the good of him that receives it but respect is had in it unto the good of others and the Lord Christ expects such an exercise of it as may be to others advantage And the first End of Gifts is the Edification of others and all that do receive them are thereby and so far Stewards of the manifold Grace of God 1 Pet. 4.10 Wherefore for the due exercise of these Gifts and Graces unto his Glory and their proper ends he hath appointed particular Congregations in whose Assemblies alone they can be duely exercised 2 Hereby all his Disciples are mutually edified that is encreased in Light Knowledge Faith Love Fruitfulness in Obedience and conformity unto himself This the Apostle affirms to be the especial End of all Churches their Offices Officers Gifts and Order Ephes. 4.12 13 14 15 16. And again 2.19 No Church-State that is not immediately suited unto this End is of his Institution And though others may in general pretend unto it besides that of particular Congregations it were to be wished that they were not obstructive of it or were any way fitted or useful unto it 3 That he might hereby express and testify his promised Presence with his Disciples unto the end of the World Matth. 28.20 Matth. 18.20 Rev. 1.13 It is in their Church Assemblies and in the Performance of his Holy Worshâ—p that he is present with his Disciples according unto his Promise 4 In these Churches thus exercised in the holy Worship of God he gives us a Resemblance and Representation of the great Assembly above who Worship God continually before his Throne which is too large a Subject here to insist upon And to manifest that Assemblies of the whole Church at once and in one place for the Celebration of Divine Worship is of the Essence of a Church without which it hath no real Being when God had instituted such a Church Form as wherein all the Members of it could not ordinarily come together every week for this end yet he ordained that for the Preservation of their Church-State three times in the year the Males which was the circumcised Church should appear together in one place to celebrate the most Solemn Ordinances of his Worship Exod. 23.14 Chap. 34 23. Deut. 16.16 All those Difficulties which arose from the extent of the Limits of that Church unto the whole Nation being removed these Meetings of the whole Church for the Worship of Goâ— become a continual Duty and when they cannot be observed in any Church the State or kind of it is not instituted by Christ. 3. The third End of the Institution of the Gospel Church-State is the Exercise and Preservation of the Discipline appointed by Christ to be observed by his Disciples The Antients do commonly call the whole Religion of Christianity by the Name of the Discipline of Christ that is the Faith and Obedience which he hath prescribed unto them in Contradistinction and Opposition unto the Rules and Prescriptions of all â—hilosophical Societies And it is that without which the Glory of â—hristian Religion can in no due manner be preserved The especial Nature of it shall be afterwards fully spoken unto For the use of the present Argument I shall only speak unto the Ends of it or what it is that the Lord Christ designeth in the Institution of it and these things may be referred unto 4 Heads 1. The Preservation of the Doctrine of the Gospel in its Purity and
Words and the Interpretation of them so many various and opposite Opinions about them and those debated in such long and Operous Discourses that some would take an Argument from thence that nothing can be directly proved from them nor any certain account of the State and Duty of the Church be thence collected But nothing can be insinuated more false and absurd nor which more directly tendeth to the overthrow of the whole Authority of the Scripture For if when men are seduced by their Interests or otherwise to multiply false Expositions of any place of Scripture and to contend earnestly about them that thereon as unto us they lose their instructive Power and certain Determination of the Truth we should quickly have no Bottom or Foundation for our Faith in the most important Articles of Religion nor could have so at this day But all the various Pretences of men some whereof would have the Pope others a General Councel some the Civile Magistrate some the Jewish Synagogue some a Company of Arbitrators are nothing but so many Instances of what Interest Prejudice corrupt Lusts ambitious Designs with a dislike of the Truth will bring forth To me it seems strange that any impartial man reading this Context can take the Church in this place in any other sense but for such a Society as whereunto an offending and offended Brother or Disciple of Christ might and ought to belong to the Body whereof they might address themselves for Relief and Remedy or the Removal of Offences by vertue of the Authority and Appointment of Jesus Christ. It were an endless Task and unsuited unto our present Design to examine the various pretensions unto the Church in this place enough also if not too much hath been written already about them I shall therefore observe only some few things from the context which will sufficiently evidence what sort of Church it is that is here intended 1. The Rule and Direction given by our Saviour in this place unto his Disciples doth not concern civil Injuries as such but such Sins as have Scandal and Offence in them either causing other men to Sin or giving them Grief and Offence for Sin whereby the exercise of Love in mutual Communion may be impeded Private Injuries may be respected herein but not as Injuries but so far as they are scandalous and matter of Offence unto them unto whom they are known And this appears 1 From the proper Signification of the Phrase here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If thy Brother Sin against thee Doing of an injury is expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to be injured by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 6.8 9. that is to be wronged to be dealt unjustly withal and to be defrauded or deprived of our Right But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not so used but only so to sin as to give scandal unto them against whom that Sin is said to be 1 Cor. 8.11 12 To be guilty of Sin against Christ in the light of their consciences is to sin against them 2. It is evident in the context Our Saviour is treating directly about all sorts of scandals and offences or sins as occasions of falling stumbling and sinning and so of perishing unto others giving Rules and Directions about them from 8th verse unto these words wherein Direction is given about their Cure and Removal And two things he ascribes unto these scandals 1. That weak Christians are despised in them ver 10. 2. That they are in danger to be destroyed or lost for ever by them ver 14. which gives us a true account of the nature of scandalous Offences Wherefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sin is used here in the same sense with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before to give offence by a scandalous miscarriage 3. Where the same Rule is again recorded the words used enforce this application of them Luk. 17.1 2 3. The Lord Christ foretells his Disciples that scandals and offences would arise with the nature and danger of them v. 1. And because that they obtain their pernicious effects mostly on them that are weak he gives caution against them with especial respect unto such among his Disciples better any one were cast into the Sea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then that he should give scandal or offence unto one of these little ones ver 2. And what he expresseth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 2. he expresseth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ver 3. sin against thee and this is plain from thâ— direction which he gives hereon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rebuke him The word is never used with respect unto private Injuries but as they are sins or faults so is it joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 4.2 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the only word used for the Rebuke given or to be given unto a scandalous Offender 2 Cor. 2.6 4 Another Rule is given in case of private Injuries that are only such and that is that we immediately forgive them 5. It doth not seem a Direction suited unto that intense Love which the Lord Christ requireth in all his Disciples one towards another nor the nature of that Love in its Exercise as it is described 1 Cor. 13. that for a private Injury done unto any man without respect unto sin against God therein which is the scandal he should follow his Brother so far as to have him cast â—ut of the Communion of all Churches and Believers which yet in case of Sin unrepented of is a necessary Duty 2dly The Rule here prescribed and the Direction given were so prescribed and given for the use of all the Disciples of Christ in all Ages and are not to be confined unto any present case or the present season For 1. There was no such case at present no mutual offence among any of his Disciples that should require this Determination of it only respect is had unto what might afterwards fall out in the Church 2. There was no need of any such Direction at that time because Christ himself was then constantly present with them in whom all Church Power did reside both eminently and formally Accordingly when any of them did offend unto scandal he did himself rebuke them Matth. 16.22 23. And when any thing of mutual Offence fell out among them he instructed them and directed them into the way of Love doing what any Church could do and much more also Mat. 20 24 25 26 27.28 3 This was a case which our Saviour foreknew and foretold that it would fall out in the Church in futuâ—e generations even unto the end of the world It doth so every day and will do so whilst men are in an imperfect state here below Nor is there any thing wherein the Church as unto its Order â—urity and Edification is more concerned Nor can any of them be preserved without a certain Rule for the cure and healing of offences nor are so in any Church where such a Rule is
not or is neglected It is therefore fond to suppose that our Saviour should prescribe this Rule for that season wherein there was no need of it and not for those times wherein the Church could not subsist in order without it 3ly The Church here directed unto is a Christian Church For 1. whereas it hath been proved it concerned the times to come afterwards there was in those times nothing that could pretend unto the name of the Church but a Christian Church only The Jewish Synagogues had an utter end put unto them so as that an Address unto any of them in this case was not only useless but unlawful And as unto Magistrates or Arbitrators to have them called the Church and that in such a sense as that after the Interposition of their Authority or Advice a man should be freed from the discharge of all Christian Duties such as are mutually required among the Disciples of Christ towards his Brother is a fond Imagination For 2 It is such a Church as can exercise Authority in the Name of Christ over his Disciples and such as in Conscience they should be bound to submit themselves unto For the Reason given of the Contempt of the Voice Judgment and Sentence of the Church in case of offence is their Power of spiritual binding and looâ—ing which is comitted by Christ thereunto and so he adds immediatley ver 18. Whatever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose in heaven shall be loosed on earth is the Priviledge of a Christian Church only 4thly It is a visible particular Congregation alone that is intended For 1. As unto the Church in other acceptations of that name either for the Catholicâ— invisible Church or for the whole Body of professed Believers thoroughout the world it is utterly impossible that this Dâ—ty should be observed towards it as is manifest unto all 2. We have proved that the first and most proper signification of the word is of a single congregation assembling together for its Duties and Enjoyments Where ever therefore the Church in general is mentioned without the Addition of any thing or circumstance that may lead unto another signification it must be interpreted of such a Particular Church or Congregation 3. The Persons intended offending and offended must belong unto the same society unto whom the Address is to be made or else the one party may justly decline the Judicatory applyed unto and so frustrate the Process And it must be such a Church as unto whom they are known in their Circumstances without which it is impossible that a right judgment in sundry cases can be made in point of Offence 4 It is a Church of an easie Address Go tell the Church which supposeth that free and immediate aâ—cess which all the Members of a Church have unto that whole Church whereof they are members Wherefore 5 It is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tell the Church not a Church but the Church namely whereunto thou and thy Brother do belong 6 One end of this Direction is that the offending and the offended parties may continue together in the Communion of the same Church in Love without Dissimulation which thing belongs unto a particular Congregation 7 The meaning is not tell the Diocesan Bishop for whatever Church he may have under his Rule yet is not he himself a Church Nor is it 8 the Chancellours Court that our Saviour intended Be it what it will it is a disparagement unto all Churches to have that name applied thereunto Nor Lastly Is it a Presbytery or Association of the Elders of many particular Congregations that is intended For the Power claimed in such associated Presbyteries is with respect unto what is already in or before particular Congregations which they have not either Wisdom or Authority as is supposed finally to order and determine But this supposeth that the Address in the first place be made unto a particular Congregation which therefore is firstly and properly here intended All things are plain familiar and exposed to the common Understandings of all Believers whose minds are any way exercised about these things as indeed are all things that belong unto the Discipline of Christ. Arguments pretendedly deep and learned really obscure and perplexed with logical Notions and distinctions applied unto things thus plain and evident in themselves do serve only to involve and darken the Truth It is plain in the place 1 That there was a Church-State for Christians then designed by Christ which afterwards he would institute and settle 2 That all true Disciples were to join and unite themselves in some such Church as might be helpful unto their Love Order Peace and Edification 3 That among the members of these Churches Offences would or might arise which in themselves tend unto pernicious Events 4 That if these Offences could not be cured and taken away so as that Love without Dissimulation might be continued among all the Members of the Churches an Account of them at last was to be given unto that Church or Society whereunto the Parties concerned do belong as Members of it 5 That this Church should hear determine and give Judgment with advice in the cases so brought unto it for the taking away and removal of all Offences 6 That this Determination of the Church is to be rested in on the Penalty of a Deprivation of all the Priviledges of the Church 7 That these things are the Institution and Appointment of Christ himself whose Authority in them all is to be submitted unto and which alone can cast one that is a Professed Christian into the condition of an Heathen or a Publican These things in the Notion and Practice of them are plain easy and exposed to the Understanding of the meanest of the Disciples of Christ as it is meet that all things should be wherein their daily Practice is concerned But it is not easily to be expressed into what horrible Perplexities and Confusions they have been wrested in the Church of Rome nor how those who depart from the plain obvious sense of the words and love not the Practice they direct unto do lead themselves and others into ways and paths that have neither use nor end From the corrupt abuse of the holy Institution of our Lord Jesus Christ here intended so many Powers Faculties Courts Jurisdictions legal Processes with Litigious Vexatious oppressive Courses of Actions and Trials whose very names are uncouth horrid foreign unto Religion and unintelligible without Cunning in an artâ—ficial barbarous Science of the Canon Law have proceeded as are enough to fill a sober rational man with astonishment how it could ever enter into the minds of men to suppose that they can possibly have any Relation unto this Divine Institution Those who are not utterly blinded with Interest and Prejudice wholly ignorant of the Gospel and the mind of Christ therein as also Strangers from the Practice of the Duties which it requires will hardly
Example of the Primitive Churches that succeeded unto those which were planted by the Apostles themselves and so may well be judged to have walked in the same way and Order with them And that which we alledge is That in no approved Writers for the space of 200 years after Christ there is any mention made of any other Organical visibly professing Church but that only which is Parochial or Congregational A Church of any other Form State or Order Papal or Oecumenical Patriarchal Metropolitical Diocesan or Classical they know not Neither Name nor thing nor any of them appear in any of their Writings Before I proceed unto the Confirmation of this Assertion by particular Testimonies I shall premise some things which are needful unto the right understanding of what it is that I intend to prove by them As 1. All the Churches at first planted by the Apostles whether in the greatest Cities as Jerusalem Antioch Corinth Rome c. or those in the meanest Villages of Judea Galilee or Samaria were as unto their Church-State in Order Power Priviledge and Duty every way equal not Superior or Inferior not ruling over or subject unto one another No Institution of any Inequality between them no Instance of any Practice Supposing it no Direction for any compliance with it no one word of intimation of it can be produced from the Scripture nor is it consistent with the nature of the Gospel Church-State 2. In and among all these Churches there was one and the same spirit one Hope of their Calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism whence they were all obliged mutually to seek and endeavour the Good and Edification of each other To be helpful to one another in all things according unto that which any of them had received in the Lord. This they did by Prayer by Advice and Counsel by Messengers sent with Salutations Exhortations Consolations supplies for the Poor and on all the like occasions By these means and by the exercise of that mutual Love and Care which they were obliged unto they kept and preserved Vnity and Communion among themselves gave a common Testimony against any thing that in Doctrine or Practice deviated from the Rule and Discipline of Christ. This Order with Peace and Love thereon continued among them until Pride Ambition Desire of Rule and Preheminence in Diotrephes and a multitude of the same spirit with him began to open a door unto the entrance of the Mystery of Iniquity under pretence of a better Order than this which was of the appointment of Christ. 3. It must be acknowledged that notwithstanding this Equality among all Churches as unto their State and Power that there were great Differences between them some real and some in Reputation which not being rightly managed proved an Occasion of evil in and unto them all For Instance 1. Some were more eminent in spiritual Gifts than others As this was a Priviledge that might have been greatly improved unto the Honour of Christ and the Gospel yet we know how it was abused in the Church of Corinth and what Disorders followed thereon so weak and frail are the best of men so liable unto Temptation that all Preheminence is dangerous for them and often abused by them which I confess makes me not a little admire to see men so earnestly pleading for it so fearlesly assuming it unto themselves so fiercely contending that all Power and Rule in the Church belongs unto them alone But 2. Reputation was given unto some by the long abode of some of the Apostles in them Of this Advantage we find nothing in the Scripture But certain it is it was much pleaded and contended about among the Primitive Churches yea so far until by Degrees Disputes arose about the Places where this or that Apostle fixed his Seat which was looked on as a Preheminence for the present and a security for the future But yet we know how soon some of them degenerated from the Church Order and Discipline wherein they were instructed by the Apostles see Rev. chap. 2. and 3. 3. The Greatness Power Fame or Civil Authority of the Place or City where any Church was planted gave it an Advantage and Priviledge in Reputation above others And the Churches planted in such Cities were quickly more numerous in their Members than others were unless men strictly kept themselves unto the force of Primitive Institutions it was very hard for them to think and Judge that a a Church it may be in a small Village or Town in Galilee should be Equal with that at Hierusalem or at Antioch or afterwards at Rome itself The Generality of men easily suffered themselves to be persuaded that those Churches were advanced in State and Order far above the other obscure poor Congregations That there should be a Church at Rome the Head City of the world was a Matter of great Joy and Triumph unto many and the Advancement of it in Reputation they thought belonged unto the Honour of our Religion Howbeit there is not in the Scripture the least regard expressed unto any of these things of place number or possibility of outward splendor either in the Promises of the Presence of Christ in and with his Churches or in the Communication of Power Priviledges unto them Yet such an improvement did this foolish Imagination find that after those who presided in the Churches called in the principal Cities had tasted of the sweetness of the bait which lay in the Ascription of a Preheminence unto them they began openly to claim it unto themselves and to usurp Authority over other Churches Confirming their own Usurpation by Canons and Rules until a few of them in the Council of Nice began to divide the Christian world among themselves as if it had been been Conquered by them Hence proceeded those shameful contests that were among the greater Prelates about their Preheminency and hence arose that Pretence of the Bishops of Rome unto no less a Right of Rule and Dominion over all Christian Churches than the City had over all the Nations and Cities of the Empire which being carried on by all sorts of evil Artifices as by downright Forgeries shameless Intrusions of themselves impudent laying hold of all Advantages unto their own exaltation prevailed at length unto the utter ruine of all Church Order and worship There is no sober History of the rise and growth by several Degrees of any City Commonwealth or Empire that is filled with so many Instances of ambitious seeking of Preheminence as our Church stories are By this Imagination were the generality of the Prelates in those dayes induced to introduce and settle a Government in and among the Churches of Christ answering unto the Civil Government of the Roman Empire As the Civil Government was cast into National or Diocesan or Provincial in less or greater Divisions each of which had its Capital City the place of the Residence of the chief Civil Governour so they designed to frame an Image of
it in the Church ascribing an alike Dignity and Power unto the Prelates of those Cities and a Jurisdiction extending itself unto Nations Diocesses and Provinces Hereby the lesser Congregations or Parochial Churches being weakened in process of time in their Gifts and Interest were swallowed up in the Power of the others and became only inconsiderable Appendixes unto them to be ruled at their Pleasure But these things fell out long after the times which we enquire into only their occasion began to present it self unto men of corrupt minds from the Beginning but we have before at large discoursed of them 4. Some Churches had a great Advantage in that the Gospel as the Apostle speaks went forth from them unto others They in their Ministry were the Means first of the Conversion of others unto the Faith and then of their gathering into a Church-State affording them Assistance in all things they stood in need of Hence there newly formed Churches in lesser Towns and Villages had alwaies a great Reverence for the Church by whose means they were converted unto God and Stated in Church Order And it was meet that so they should have But in process of time as these lesser Churches decreased in spiritual Gifts and fell under a scarcity of able Guides this Reverence was turned into Obedience and Dependence and they thought it well enough to be under the Rule of others being unable well to rule themselves On these and the like Accounts there was quickly introduced an Inequality among Churches which by vertue of their first Institution were equal as unto State and Power 4. Churches may admit of many Variations as unto their outward Form and Order which yet change not their State nor cause them to cease from being Congregational As 1. Supposing that any of them might have many Elders or Presbyters in them as it is apparent that most of them had yea all that are mentioned in the Scripture had so Act. 11.30 chap. 14.23 chap. 15.6 22 23. chap. 16.4 chap. 20.17 18. chap. 21.18 Phil. 1.1.1 Tim. 5.17 Tit. 1.5 they might and some of them did choose out some one endued With especial Gifts that might in some sort preside amongst them and who had quickly the name of Bishop appropriated unto him This Practice is thought to have had its Original at Alexandria and began generally to be received in the 3 Century But this changed not the State of the Church though it had no divine Warrant to authorise it For this Order may be agreed unto among the Elders of a particular Congregation and Sundry things may fall out enclining unto the reception of it But from a distinct mention if any such there be in the Writings of the second Century of Bishops and Presbyters to fancy Metropolitical and Diocesan Churches is but a pleasant Dream 2. The Members of these Churches that were great and numerous being under the care and Inspection of their Elders in common might for the ordinary Duty of Divine Worship meâ—t in parts or several actual Assemblies and they did so especially in time of Persecution Nothing occurs more frequently in Ecclesiastical Story than the Meetings of Christians in secret Places in private houses yea in caves and dens of the Earth when in some places it was impossible that the whole Body of the Church should so assemble together How this Disposition of the Members of the Church into several Parts in each of which some Elder or Elders of it did officiate gave occasion unto the distinction of greater Churches into particular Titles or Parishes is not here to be declared it may be so Elsewhere But neither yet did this alter the State of the Churches from their Original Institution For 3. Upon all extraordinary occasions all such as concerned the whole Church as the Choice of Elders or the Deposition of them the admission or exclusion of Members and the like the whole Church continued to meet together which practice was plainly continued in the days of Cyprian as we shall see afterwards Neither doth it appear but that during the first 200 years of the Church the whole Body oâ— the Church did ordinarily meet together in one place for the solemn Administration of the Holy Ordinances of Worship and the Exercise of Discipline Wherefore notwithstanding these and other the like Variations from the Original Institution of Churches which came in partly by Inadvertency unto the Rule and partly were received from the Advantages and Accommodations which they pretended unto the State of the Churches continued Congregational onely for 200 years so far as can be gathered from the remaining Monuments of those times Only we must yet add that we are no way concerned in Testimonies or sayings taken from the writings of those in following Ages as unto the State way and manner of the Churches in this season but do appeal unto their own writings onely This is the great Artifice whereby Baronius in his Annalls would impose upon the Credulity of men an apprehension of the Antiquity of any of their Roman Inventions he affixeth them unto some of the first Ages and giving some Countenance unto them it may be from some spurious writings layes the weight of Confirmation on Testimonies and Sayings of Writers many years yea for the most part Ages afterwards for it was and is of the Latter Ages of the Church wherein Use and Custom have wrested Ecclesiastical words to other significations than at first they were applyed unto to impose the present State of things among them on these who went before who knew nothing of them I shall therefore briefly enquire into what Representation is made of the State of the Churches by the Writers themselves who had in the season enquired after or in the Age next unto it which was acquainted with their practice That which first offereth itself unto us and which is an invaluable Testimony of the state of the first Churches immediately after the Decease of the Apostles is the Epistle of Clemens Romanus unto the Brethren of the Church of Corinth This Epistle according to the Title of it Irenaeus ascribes unto the whole Church at Rome and calls it potentissimas literas sub hoc Clemente dissensione non modica inter â—os qui Corinthi erant fratres facta scripsit quae est Romae Ecclesia potentissimas literas lib. 3. cap. 3. By Eusebius it is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great and admirable who also affirms that it was publickly read in some Churches Ecclesiast Hist. lib. 3. cap. 14. And again he calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a most powerful writing lib. 5. cap. 7. There is no doubt but some things in the writings of it did befal him humanitûs that the work of such a companion of some of the Apostles as he was might not be received as of divine Institution such was the credit which he gives unto the vulgar fable of the Phenix But for the substance of it it is such as every way becomes a
place unto all the Members of it was a particular Congregation 6. The things that he ascribeth unto this Leader to be done at this general meeting of the Church every Lords day were 1. That he prayed 2. That after the reading of the Scripture he preached 3. That he consecrated the Eucharist the Elements of the Bread and Wine being distributed by the Deacons unto the Congregation 4. That he closed the whole Worship of the day in prayer 7. In the Consecration of the Sacramental Elements he observes that the President prayed at large giving thanks to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So vain is the pretence of some that in the Primitive times they consecrated the Elements by the Repetition of the Lords prayer only After the participation of the Eucharist there was a Collection made for the poor as he describeth it at large what was so gathered being committed to the Pastor who took care for the distribution of it unto all sorts of poor belonging unto the Church Hereunto was added as Tertullian observes the Exercise of Discipline in their Assemblies whereof we shall speak afterwards The close of the Administration of the Sacrament Justin gives us in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Pastor again according to his ability or power poureth forth or sends up prayers the people all joyfully crying Amen c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as Origen expounds the Phrase often used by himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 8. ad Cels. according unto the present Ability given unto him This was the state the Order and the Worship of the Church with its Method in the days of Justin Martyr This and no other is that which we plead for Unto these times belongs the most excellent Epistle of the Churches of Vienna and Lyons in France unto the Brethren in Asia and Phrygia recorded at large by Eusebius Hist. lib. 5. cap 1. Their design in it is to give an account of the holy Martyrs who suffered in the persecution under Marcus Antoninus I am no way concerned in what state Irenaeus was in the Church at Lyons whereon after the writing of this Epistle he was sent to Eleutherius the Bishop of Rome which he gives an account of Chap. 4. He is indeed in that Epistle called a Presbyter of the Church although as some suppose it was sundry years after the death of Pothinus whom they call Bishop of Lyons into whose room he immediately succeeded And Eusebius himself cap. 8. affirming that he would give an account of the Writings of the antient Ecclesiastical Presbyters in the first place produceth those of Irenaeus But these things belong not unto our present contest The Epistle we intend was written by the Brethren of those Churches and it was written to the Brethren of the Churches in Asia and Phrygia after the manner of the Scripture wherein the fraternity or Body of the Church was designed or intended in all such Epistles From them was this Epistle and unto those of the same sort was it written not from one Bishop unto another And as this manifests the concern of the Brotherhood in all Ecclesiastical Affairs so with all other circumstances it evidenceth that those Churches were particular or Congregational only Nor is there any thing in the whole Epistle that should give the least intimation of any other Church state knowâ— unto them This Epistle as recorded by Eusebius gives us as noble Representation of the Spirit and Communion that was then among the Churches of Christ being written with Apostolical simplicity and gravity and remote from those Titles of Honour and affected swelling words which the faigned writings of that Age and some that are genuine in those that followed are stuffed withal Tertullâ—an who lived about the end of the second Century gives us the same account of the State Order and Worship of the Churches as was given beâ—ore by Justin Martyr Apol. ad Gen. cap. 39. The Description of a Church he first lays down in these words Corpâ—s sumus de conscientia Religionis Disciplinae unitate spei foedere We are a Body united in the Conscience of Religion or a conscientious Observation of the Duties of Religion by an Agreement in Discipline whereby it was usual with the Antients to express Universal Obedience unto the Doctrine and commands of Christ and in a Covenant of Hope For whereas such a Body or Religious Society could not be united but by a Covenant he calls it a Covenant of Hope because the principal respect was had therein unto the things hoped foâ— They covenanted together so to live and walk in the Discipline of Christ or Obedience unto his commands as that they might come together unto the enjoyment of Eternal Blessedness This Religious Body or Society thus united by Covenant did meet together in the same Assembly or Congregation Corpus suâ—us â—oâ—mus in coeâ—um Congregationem ut ad Deum quasi manu facta precationibus ambiamus orantes And cogimur ad divinarum literarum commemorationem c. Designing to declare as he doth in particular Negotia Christianae factionis as he calls them or the Duties of Christian Religion which in their Churches they did attend unto he lays the foundation in their meetings in the saâ—â— Assemâ—ly or Congregation In these Assemblies there presided the Elders that upon a Testimony of their meetness unto that Office were chosen thereunto President probati quique seniores honorem istum non pretiâ— sed Testimonio adepti And in the Church thus met together in the same place Assembly or Congregation under the rule and conduct of their Elders among other things they exercised Discipline that is in the presence and by the consent of the whole Ibidem etiam exhortationes castigationes censura divina Nam judicatur magno cum pondere ut apud certos de Dei conspectu summumque futuri judâ—cii praejudicium est sâ— quis ita deliquerit ut à communicatione Oratinis conventus omnis sancti commercii relegetur The loss of this Discipline and the manner of its Administration hath been one of the principal means of the Apostacy of Churches from their Primitive Institution To the same purpose doth Origen give us an account of the way of the gathering and establishing Churches under Elders of their own choosing in the close of his last Book against Celsus And although in the days of Cyprian in the third Century the distinction between the Bishop in any Church eminently so called and those who are only Presbyters with their imparity and not only the precedency but superiority of one over others began generally to be admitted yet it is sufficiently manifest from his Epistles that the Church wherein he did preside was so far a particular Church as that the whole Body or Fraternity of it was admitted unto all advice in things of common concernment unto the whole Church and allowed the exercise of their
power and liberty in choosing or refusing the Officers that were to be set over them Some few things we may observe from the Testimonies insisted on As 1. There is in them a true and full representation of the State Order Rule and Discipline of the Churches in the first Ages It is a sufficient demonstration that all those things wherein at the present the State and Order of the Church are supposed to consist are indeed later Inventions not merely because they are not mentioned by them but because they are not so when they avowedly profess to give an account of that State and Order of the Church which was then in use and practice Had there been then among Christians Metropolitan Archbishops or Bishops Diocesan Churches National or Provincial an enclosure of Church-power or Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in and for the whole rule of the Church unto Bishops and Officers utterly forraign unto any pretence of Apostolical Institution or countenance had many Churches or many hundreds of Churches been without Rule in or among themselves subject to the rule of any one man standing in no especial relation unto any of them with other things of the like nature been then invented known and in use how could they possibly be excused in passing them over without the least taking notice of them or giving them the honour of being once mentioned by them How easie had it been for their Pagan Rulers unto whom they presented their accounts some of them of the state of their Churches to have replyed that they knew well enough there were other Dignities Orders and practises than what they did acknowledge which they were either afraid or ashamed to own But besides this silence on the other hand they assert such things of the Officers appointed in the Church of the way of their appointment of the Duty of Officers in the Church of the Power and Liberty of the people of the nature and exercise of Discipline as are utterly inconsistent with that state of these things which is by some pleaded for Yea as we have shewed whatever they write or speak about Churches or their Order can have no Being or Exercise in any other form of Churches but of particular Congregations 2. That account which they give that Representation which they make of the kind state and order of the Churches among them doth absolutely agree with and answer unto what we are taught in the Divine Writings about the same things There were indeed before the end of the second Century some practises in and about some lesser things such as sending the Consecrated Elements from the Assembly unto such as were sick that they had no warrant for from any thing written or done by the Apostles But as unto the substance of what concerns the State Order Rule Discipline and Worship of Evangelical Churches there is not any instance to be given wherein they departed from the Apostolical Traditions or Institution either by adding any thing of their own unto them or omitting any thing that was by them ordained 3. From this state the Churches did by degrees and insensibly degenerate so as that another Form and Order of them did appear towards the end of the third Century For some in the first Churches not applying their minds unto the Apostolical Rule and practice who ordained Elders in every Church and that not only in Cities or Towns but as Clemens affirms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Country-Villages Many disorders ensued with respect unto such Collections of Christians and Congregations as were gathered at some distance from the first or city-City-Church Until the time of Origen the Example of the Apostles in this case was followed and their Directions observed For so he writes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And we knowing that there are other Congregations gathered in the Towns up and down by the Preaching of the Word of God or that there is another Heavenly City in any Town built by the word of God we perswade some that are sound in Doctrine and of good Conversation and meet for their Rule to take on them the conduct or Rule of those Churches and these whilst they Rule within the Churches those societies of Divine Institution by whom they are chosen they govern them according to the Prescriptions or Commands and Rules given by God himself Adver Cels. lib. 8. Those of whom he speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were the Pastors or principal Members of the Churches that were established When they understood that in any place distant from them a number of Believers were called and gathered into Church order by the Preaching of the Word they presently according unto their duty took care of them enquired into their State and condition assisting them in particular in finding out trying and recommending unto them persons meet to be their Officers and Rulers These he acknowledgeth to be Churches and Cities of God upon their Collection by the Preaching of the Word antecedently unto the constitution of any Officers among them as the Apostles also did Act. 14.22 23. Wherefore the Church is essentially before its ordinary Officers and cannot as unto its continuance depend on any Succession of theirs which they have none but what it gives unto them These Officers thus recommended were chosen as he tells us by the Churches wherein they were to preside and thereon did govern them by the Rule of Gods Word alone Hereby was the Original Constitution and state of the first Churches for a good season preserved Nor was there the least abridgment of the power either of these Churches or of their Officers because it may be they were some of them planted in poor Country-Villages For as no man in the world can hinder but that every true Church hath de jure all the Rights and Powers that any other Church in the world hath or ought to have or that every true Officer Bishop Elder or Pastor hath not all the power that Christ hath annexed unto that Office be they at Rome or Eâ—gubium so there was no abridgment of this power in the meanest of them as yet attempted But this course and duty in many places not long after became to be much omitted whether out of Ignorance or Negligence or unwillingness of men to undertake the Pastoral Charge in poor Country-Churches I know not But so it was that Believers in the Regions round about any City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were look'd on as those which belonged unto the City Churches and were not setled in particular Congregations for their edification which they ought to have been And the Councels that afterwards ensued made Laws and Canons that they should be under the Government of the Bishops of those City-Churches But when the number of such Believers was greatly increased so as that it was needful to have some always attending the Ministry among them they came I know not how to have Chorepiscopi among them and over them The first mention of them is in the Synod of
Indeed as when the Israelites came out of Egypt there came along with them a mixed multitude of other People Exod. 12.38 which fell to lusting for Meat when they came into the Wilderness Numb 11.4 to the danger of the whole Congregation So when Christianity was first Preached and received in the world besides those who embraced it sincerely and were added unto the Church there was a great mixture of stubborn Jews as the Ebionites of Philosophical Greeks as the Valentinians and the Marcionites of plain Impostors such as Simon Magus and Menander who all of them pretended to be Christians but they fell a lusting and exceedingly troubled and perplexed the Churches with an endeavour to seduâ—e them unto their Imaginations Yet none of their Abominations could force an entrance into the Churches themselves which by the means insisted on were preserved But when this Church-state and Order was changed and another gradually introduced in the room of it Errours and Heresies got new advantages and entered into the Churches themselves which before did only assault and perplex them For 1. When Prerogative and Preheminence of any single Person in the Church began to be in esteem not a few who failed in their attempts of attaining it to revenge themselves on the Church made it their business to invent and propagate pernicious Heresies So did Thebulis at Hierusalem Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 22. and Valentinus Tertul. ad Valentin cap. 4. and Marcion at Rome Epiphan Haeres 42. Montanus fell into his dotage on the same account so did Novitianus at Rome Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 43. and Arius at Alexandria Hence is that censure of them by Lactantius lib. 4. cap. 30. Ii quorum fides fuit lubrica cùm Deum nosse se colere simularent augendis opibus honori studentes affectabant Maximum Sacerdotium à potioribus victi secedere cum suffragatoribus maluerunt quà m eos ferre praepositos quibus concupierant ipsâ— ante praeponi 2. When any of their Bishops of the new Constitution whether Patriarchal or Diocesan fell into Heresies which they did frequently and that numbers of them they had so many advantages to diffuse their poyson into the whole Body of their Churches and such Political Interests for their Promotion as that the Churches themselves were throughly infected with them It is true the Body of the People in many places did oppose them withdraw and separate from them but it cannot be denied but that this was the first way and means whereby the Churches ceased to be the Ground and Pillar of Truth many destructive Errours being received into them which did only outwardly assault them whilst they abode in their first Institution And had not the Churches in process of time utterly lost their Primitive State and Order by coalescing into one Papal pretended Vniversal Church the Faith itself could never have been so utterly corrupted depraved and lost among them as in the issue it was 3. To propagate the Gospel is in like manner required hereunto This I acknowledge doth more immediately concern the Duty of Persons in any Church-Order than the Order itself For it must be the work of some particular persons dedicating themselves unto their Ministry as it was in the first Churches 3 Joh. 5 6 7 8. The like may be said of any other publick acknowledged end of the Institution of Churches If the Way pleaded for be not consistent with them all and the proper means of attaining them if it be not suited unto their accomplishment let it be discarded I shall insist on one more only 3. Our Lord Jesus Christ hath given that state unto his Churches hath instated them in that Order as that his Interest Kingdome and Religion might be carried on in the world without prejudice or disadvantage unto any of the lawful Interests of men especially without any opposition unto or enterfering with the Civil Authority or Magistracy which is the Ordinance of God and no Church-way that doth so is of his Institution Wherefore I shall briefly declare what are the Principles of those of this Way in these things which are the Principles of the Way itself which they do profess 1. Our first general Assertion unto this purpose is this The Lord Jesus Christ taught no Doctrine appointed no Order in his Church gave it no Power that is opposite unto or inconsistent with any righteous Government in this world of what sort soever it be of those whereunto Government is distributed in Reason and Practice His Doctrine indeed is opposed unto all Unrighteousness in and of all men Magistrates and others but not to the legal Rule of Magistrates that are unrighteous men And this Opposition is Doctrinal only confirmed with Promises and Threatnings of eternal things refusing and despising all outward aids of force and restraint This Rule we allow for the trial of all Churches and their state whether they be according unto the minde of Christ. But whereas the Lord Jesus Christ hath taught commanded appointed nothing that is contrary unto or inconsistent with righteous Governments of any sort if Rulers or Magistrates shall forbid the observance of what he hath commanded appointed and ordered and then charge it on him or his Way that his Disciples cannot dare not will not comply with that Prohibition and accuse them thereon of Sedition and Opposition unto Government they deal injuriously with him whereof they must give an account For whereas all Power is given unto him in Heaven and Earth all Nations are his Inheritance all People in his absolute Disposal and it is his pleasure to set up his Kingdom in the Earth without which the Earth itself would not be continued He could not deal more gently with the righteous Rulers of this world and he did it because righteous Rule is the Ordinance of God than to order all things so that whether they receive his Law and Doctrine or no nothing should be done in opposition unto them or their Rule And if any of them are not contented with this measure but will forbid the observance of what he commands wherein he alone is concerned and not they this is left to be determined between him and them In the mean time when Rulers are not able to fancy much less give a real instance of any one Principle Doctrine or Practice in any of the Churches of Christ or any belonging unto them that is contrary unto or inconsistent with the Rights or exercise of their Rule and Government and yet shall not only prohibit the doing of those things which he hath commanded merely with respect unto the Spiritual and Eternal ends of his Kingdom but shall also punish and destroy those who will not disown his Authority and comply with their Prohibition it doth scarce answer their Interest and Prudence For to what purpose is it for any to provoke him who is mightier than they when they have no appearance of necessity for their so doing nor advantage thereby 2. In particular
to be Schism when I believe it is Midnight whilst the Sun shines in his full strength and Glory And then we are told of Parochial Churches who have this Power only that if we do not in them whatever is required of us not by them but those that are put over them they can inform against us that we may be mulcted and punished Thirdly It will be said that these Churches as such are indeed originally entrusted and invested with all Church-Rights Power and Authority but for many weighty Reasons are abridged in sundry things of the exercise of them For who can think it meet that every single Parish should be entrusted with the exercise of all Church-Rule and Power among themselves Answ. 1. Whose fault is it that these Churches are not meet for the exercise of that Power which Christ hath granted unto such Churches If it be from themselves their Negligence or Ignorance or Wickedness it is high time they were reformed and brought into that state and condition wherein they may be fit and able to answer the ends of their Institution 2. They are indeed sorry Churches that are not as meet to exercise all Church-Power according to the minde of Christ as the Chancellors Court. 3. There is no Power pleaded for in Congregational Churches but what is granted unto them by the Word and Constitution of Christ. And who is he that shall take this from them or deprive them of its exercise or Right thereunto 1. It is not done nor ever was by Jesus Christ himself He doth not pull down what himself hath built nor doth any one Institution of his in the least interfere with any other It is true the Lord Christ by his Law deprives all Churches of their Power yea of their state who walk act and exercise a Power not derived from him but set up against him and used unto such ends as are opposite unto and destructive of the ends of Church â—Order by him appointed But to imagine that whilst a Church claims no Power but what it receives from him useth it only for him and in Obedience unto his Commands that he hath by any Act Order or Constitution taken away that Power or any part of it from such a Church is a vain Supposition 2. Such Churches cannot by any Act of their own deprive themselves of this Right and Power For 1. it is committed unto them in a way of Trust which they falsifie if by their own consent they part with it 2. Without it they cannot discharge many Duties required of them To part with this Power is to renounce their Duty which is the only way whereby they may lose it And if it be neither taken from them by any Law Rule or Constitution of Christ nor can be renounced or forgone by themselves what other Power under Heaven can justly deprive them of it or hinder them in its Execution The truth is the principal means which hath rendered the generality of Parochial Churches unmeet for the exercise of any Church-power is that their Interest in it and right unto it hath been so long unjustly detained from them as that they know not at all what belongs thereunto being hidden from them by those who should instruct them in it And might they be admitted under the conduct of pious and prudent Officers unto any part of the practice of this Duty in their Assemblies their understanding in it would quickly be encreased That Right Power or Authority which we thus assign unto all particular Churches gathered according unto the mind of Christ is that and that only which is necessary to their own preservation in their state and purity and unto the discharge of all those Duties which Christ requireth of the Church Now although they may not justly by any be deprived hereof yet it may be enquired whether there may not an Addition of Ecclesiastical power be made unto that which is of Original Institution for the good of the whole number of Churches that are of the same Communion And this may be done either by the Power and Authority of the Supreme Magistrate with respect unto all the Churches in his Dominion or it may be so by the Churches themselves erecting a new power in a combination of some many or all of them which they had not in them singly and distinctly before For the power of the Magistrate in and about Religion it hath been much debated and disputed in some latter Ages For three hundred years there was no mention of it in the Church because no Supreme Powers did then own the Christian Religion For the next three hundred years there were great Ascriptions unto Supreme Magistrates to the exaltation of their power and much use was made thereof among the Churches by such as had the best interest in them The next three hundred years was as unto this case much taken up with Disputes about this Power between the Emperors and the Popes of Rome sometimes one side gaining the Advantage in some especial instances sometimes the other But from that period of time or thereabouts the Contest came to blows and the Blood of some hundred thousands was shed in the Controversie namely about the Power of Emperors and Kings on the one side and the Popes of Rome on the other In the issue the Popes abode Masters of the Field and continued in actual possession of all Ecclesiastical Power though sometimes mixed with the Rebellion of one stubborn Prince or other as here frequently in England who controuled them in some of their new acquisitions Upon the publick Reformation of Religion many Princes threw off the yoke of the Papal Rule and according to the Doctrine of the Reformers assumed unto themselves the Power which as they judged the Godly Kings of Judah of old and the first Christian Emperors did exercise about Ecclesiastical Affairs From that time there have been great and vehement Disputes about the Ecclesiastical Power of Soveraign Princes and States I shall not here undertake to treat concerning it although it iâ— a matter of no great difficulty to demonstrate the extreams that many have run into some by granting too much and some too little unto them And I shall grant for my part that too much cannot well be assigned unto them whilst these two principles are preserved 1. That no Supreme Magistrate hath power to deprive or abridge the Churches of Christ of any Right Authority or Liberty granted unto them by Jesus Christ. 2. Nor hath any to coerce punish or kill any persons being civilly peaceable and morally honest because they are otherwise minded in things concerning Gospel-Faith and Worship than he is It hath not yet been disputed whether the Supreme Magistrate hath power to ordain institute and appoint any new Form or State of Churches supposedly suited unto the Civil Interest which were never ordained or appointed by Christ. It hath not I say been disputed under these terms expresly though really the substance of the Controversie
themselves concerned to attend unto But yet notwithstanding these Concessions when things come to the trial in particular there is very little granted in complyance with the Assertion laid down For besides that it is not a Church of Divine Institution that is intended in these Concessions when it comes unto the issue where a Man is born and in what Church he is Baptized in his Infancy there all choice is prevented and in the Communion of that Church he is to abide on the penalties of being esteemed and dealt withal as a Schismatick In what National Church any person is Baptized in that National Church he is to continue or answer the contrary at his peril And in the Precincts of what Parish his Habitation falls to be in that particular Parish Church is he bound to Communicate in all Ordinances of Worship I say in the judgment of many whatever is pretended of mens joyning themselves unto the truest and purest Churches there is no Liberty of Judgment or Practice in either of these things left unto any of the Disciples of Christ. Wherefore the Liberty and Duty proposed being the Foundation of all orderly Evangelical Profession and that wherein the Consciences of Believers are greatly concerned I shall lay down one Proposition wherein 't is asserted in the sence I intend and then fully confirm it The Proposition itself is this It is the duty of every one who professeth Faith in Christ Jesus and takes due care of his own Eternal Salvation voluntarily and by his own choice to joyn himself unto some particular Congregation of Christs Institution for his own Spiritual Edification and the right discharge of his Commands 1. This Duty is prescribed 1. unto them only who profeâ—s Faith in Christ Jesus who own themselves to be his Disciples that call Jesus Lord. For this is the method of the Gospel that first men by the Preaching of it be made Disciples or be brought unto Faith in Christ Jesus and then be taught to do and observe whatever he commands Matth. 28.18 19 20. first to believe and then to be added unto the Church Act. 2.41 42 46 47. Men must first joyn themselves unto the Lord or give up themselves unto him before they can give up themselves unto the Church according to the mind of Christ 2 Cor. 8.5 We are not therefore concerned at present as unto them who either not at all profess Faith in Christ Jesus or else through ignorance of the Fundamental Principles of Religion and wickedness of life do destroy or utterly render useless that Profession We do not say it is the duty of such persons that is their immediate duty in the state wherein they are to joyn themselves unto any Church Nay it is the duty of every Church to refuse them their Communion whilst they abide in that state There are other duties to be in the first place pressed on them whereby they may be made meet for this So in the Primitive times although in the extraordinary Conversions unto Christianity that were made among the Jews who before belonged unto Gods Covenant they were all immediately added unto the Church yet afterwards in the ordinary way of the Conversion of men the Churches did not immediately admit them into compleat Communion but kept them as Catechumeners for the encrease of their knowledge and trial of their profession until they were judged meet to be joyned unto the Church And they are not to blame who receive not such into compleat Communion with them unto whom it is not a present duty to desire that Communion Yea the admission of such persons into Church-Societies much more the compelling of them to be Members of this or that Church almost whether they will or no is contrary to the rule of the Word the example of the Primitive Churches and a great expedient to harden men in their sins We do therefore avow that we cannot admit any into our Church Societies as to compleat Membership and actual Interest in the Priviledges of the Church who do not by a profession of Faith in and obedience unto Jesus Christ no way contradicted by sins of life manifest themselves to be such as whose duty it is to joyn themselves unto any Church Neither do we injure any Baptized persons hereby or oppose any of their Right unto and Interest in the Church but only as they did universally in the Primitive Churches after the death of the Apostles we direct them into that way and method wherein they may be received unto the glory of Christ and their own edification And we do therefore affirm that we will never deny that Communion unto any person high or low rich or poor old or young Male or Female whose duty it is to desire it 2. It is added in the description of the Subject That it is such an one who takes due care of his own Salvation Many there are who profess themselves to be Christians who it may be hear the Word willingly and do many things gladly yet do not esteem themselves obliged unto a diligent enquiry into and a precise observation of all the commands of Christ. But it is such whom we intend who constantly fix their minds on the enjoyment of God as their chiefest good and utmost end who thereon duely consider the means of attaining it and apply themselves thereunto And it is to be feared that the number of such persons will not be found to be very great in the world which is sufficient to take off the reproach from some particular Congregations of the smalness of their number Such they ever were and such is it foretold that they should be Number was never yet esteemed a note of the true Church by any but those whose worldly interest it is that it should so be yet at present absolutely in these Nations the number of such persons is not small 3. Of these persons it is said that it is their duty so to dispose of themselves It is not that which they may do as a convenience or an advantage not that which others may do for them but which they must do for themselves in a way of duty It is an Obediential act unto the commands of Christ whereunto is required subjection of Conscience unto his Authority Faith in his promises as also a respect unto an appearance before his Judgment-Throne at the last day The way of the Church of Rome to compel men into their Communion and keep them in it by fire and fâ—got or any other means of external force derives more from the Alcoran than the Gospel Neither doth it answer the mind of Christ in the Institution End and Order of Church-Societies that men should become Members of them partly by that which is no way in their own power and partly by what their wills are regulated in by the Laws of men For it is as was said commonly esteemed that men being born and Baptized in such a Nation are thereby made Members of the Church
which is become a principal Article of Faith in the Roman Church There was a Reformation attempted and attained in some measure by some Nations or Churches in the last Ages from the Corruption and Impositions of the Church of Rome However none of them ever pretended that it was compleat or perfect according to the Pattern of the Scripture as unto the Institution and Discipline of the Churches no nor yet to the Example of the Primitive Church of after Ages as is acknowledged by the Church of England in the beginning of the Commination against Sinners But suppose it to be compleat to conclude that because an outward Rule of it was established so long as that outward Rule is observed there can be no need of Reformation is a way to lead Churches into a Presumptuous Security unto their Ruine For whereas Men being secured in their Interests by that Rule are prejudiced against any Progress in Reformation beyond what they have attained which that it should be a Duty is contrary unto the whole nature of Christian Religion which is the conduct of a Spiritual Life in the growth and encrease of Light and a suitable Obedience so they are apt to think that whilst they adhere unto that Rule they can stand in no need of Reformation which is but a new name for trouble and Sedition though it be the Foundation on which they stand But generally Churches think that others stand in need of Reformation but they need none themselves If they would but give them leave to Reform themselves who judge that it is needful for them without the least Prejudice unto their Church Profession or secular Interest it is all that is desired of them 2. Where Churches do so stand in need of Reformation and will not Reform themselves being warned of their Duty the Lord Christ threatens to leave them and assuredly will do so in the time that he hath limited unto his Patience This is the Subject of five of his Epistles or Messages unto the Churches of Asia Rev. chap. 2 3. And where the Lord Christ doth on any Cause or Provocation withdraw his Presence in any kind or degree from any Church it is the Duty of any of the Members of that Church to remove from themselves the Guilt of that Provocation though it cannot be done without a Separation from that Church It it safer leaving of any Church whatever then of Jesus Christ. I suppose most men think that if they had a Warning from Christ charging their defection and calling for Reformation as those Churches of Asia had they would Repent and Reform themselves But whereas it doth not appear that some of them did so whereon they were not long after deserted and destroyed it is like that there are others who would follow their steps though one should rise from the dead to warn them of their danger But this Instruction that Churches who lose their first Faith Love and Works who are negligent in Discipline and tolerate offensive Evils in Doctrines and Manners among them who are Luke-warm as unto Zeal and dead for the greatest Part of their Members as unto the Life of Holiness are disapproved by Christ and in danger of being utterly deserted by him is given unto all Churches no less divinely then if they had an immediate Message from Heaven about these things Those therefore who being under the Guilt of them and do not reform themselves cannot claim the Necessity of a continuance in their Communion from any Disciples of Christ as we shall see afterwards 3. Reformation respects either Doctrine and Worship or Obedience becoming the Gospel The Debates about such a Reformation as concerns the retaining or removing of certain Ceremonies we concern not ourselves in at present Nor shall we in this Place insist on what concerns Doctrine and Worship which may afterwards be spoken unto But we shall confine our selves here unto the consideration of Gospel Obedience only And we say That the Church of England in the Generality of its Parochial Assemblies and in itself stands in need of Reformation by reason of the woful degeneracy of the Generality of its Members that is the Inhabitants of the Land from the Rule of the Gospel and Commands of Christ as unto Spiritual Light Faith Love Holiness Charity and abounding in the fruits of Righteousness unto the Praise of God by Jesus Christ. These things are the immediate ends of Church Societies the principal means whereby God is glorified in the World Where they are neglected where they are not attained where they are not duely improved by the Generality of the Members of any Church that Church I think stands in need of Reformation This Assertion may seem somewhat importune and severe But when the sins of a Church or Nation are come to that height in all Ranks Sorts and Degrees of Men that all Persons of Sobriety do fear daily that desolating Judgements from God will break in upon us it cannot be unseasonable to make mention of them when it is done with no other design but only to shew the Necessity of Reformation or how necessary it is for some if all will not comply therewith For if a City be on fire it is surely lawful for any of the Citizens to save and preserve if they can their own houses though the Mayor and Aldermen should neglect the Preservation of the whole City in General It might be easily demonstrated what great numbers amongst us 1. Who have imbibed Atheistical Opinions and either vent them or speak presumptuously according unto their Influence and Tendency every day 2. Who are prophane Scoffers at all true Christian Piety and the due expressions of the Power of Godliness an Evil not confined unto the Laity such things being uttered and published by them as should be astonishable unto all that know the Fear of the Lord and his Terror 3. Who are profoundly Ignorant of the Mysteries of the Gospel or those Doctrines of Christian Religion whose knowledge is of the highest importance and necessity 4. Who are openly flagitious in their Lives whence all sorts of gross Immoralities do fill the Land from one end unto the other 5. Who live in a constant neglect of all more private holy Duties whether in their Families or in Personal Retirements 6. Who are evidently under the Power of Pride Vanity Covetousness Profaneness of Speech in cursed Oathes and Swearing 7. Who instruct the worst of men unto an Approbation of themselves in such ways as these by petulant Scoffing at the very name of the Spirit and Grace of Christ at all Expectation of his Spiritual Aids and Assistances at all fervency in religious Duties or other Acts of an holy Converse These and such like things as these do sufficiently Evidence the Necessity of Reformation For where they are continued the Use and End of Church Societies is impaired or lost And it is in vain to pretend that this is the old Plea of them who â—aused Schismes in the
Church namely that bad men were mixed with the Good for which cause they rejected those Churches wherein that was allowed as no true Churches of Christ. For no such thing is included in what we assert nor doth follow thereon We do own that wicked Hypocrites may be joyned in true Churches and be made Partakers of all the Priviledges of them Neither is this a Cause of withdrawing Communion from any Church much less of condemning it as no true Church of Christ. But this we say that if such Hypocrites discover themselves in open scandalous sins which upon Examination will prove to be of a larger extent then some suppose with respect unto sins of Omission as well as of Commission if they are not dealt withal according as the Discipline of Christ doth require in such cases the Church wherein they are allowed especially if the Number of such Persons be many or the most the Generality of the People and their sins notorious doth stand in need of Reformation as the Church of England doth acknowledge in the Commination against Sinners The Substance of what is proposed under this consideration may be expressed in the ensuing Observations 1. The Generality of the Inhabitants of this Nation are joyned and do belong unto the Church of England in its Parochial Assemblies 2. That many walk and live without any visible compliance unto the Rule of Christ in Gospel Obedience Yea 3. Great notorious provoking sins do abound among them for which it ought to be feared continually that the Judgements of God will speedily follow as is acknowledged in the Commination 4. That hereon they all stand in need of Reformation without which the principal Ends of Church Communion cannot be obtained among them 5. That this Reformation is the Duty of these Churches themselves which if it be neglected they live in a contempt of the Commands of Christ. For 6. Unto them in the Preaching of the Word and exercise of Discipline are the means of this Reformation committed for we treat not at present of the Power or Duty of the Supream Magistrate in these things 7. That this state of Churches cannot hinder nor ought so to do if continued in the true Disciples of Christ from reforming themselves by endeavouring the due Observance of all his Commands 2. In this state the Church of England doth not and it is to be feared will not nor can reform itself But although the weight of the whole Argument in hand depends very much on this Assertion yet I shall not insist on its particular confirmation for sundry Reasons not now to be mentioned It is enough that no such work hath been as yet attempted nor is at this day publickly proposed notwithstanding all the Mercies that some have received the losses which the Church for want of it hath sustained the Judgments for Sins that are feared which ought to be Motives thereunto Yea the Generality of Ecclesiastical Persons seem to judge that all things among them are as they ought to be that there is no Crime or Disorder but only in complaining of their Good Estate and calling upon them for Reformation 3. This being the state of the Parochial Churches in England the Enquiry is Whether every Beleiver in England be indispensibly obliged by Vertue of any Law Rule or Direction of a divine Original to continue in constant compleat Communion with them so as not to make use of any other ways and means of Christ Appointment for their own Edification on the Penalty of the Guilt of Schisme Now although we do not as we shall see immediately lay the weight of refraining from their Communion on this consideration yet is there enough in it to warrant any Man in his so doing For a Man in his conforming thereunto makes it a Part of his Religious Profession not only that the Church wherein he is joyned is a true Church but that there is in its state and actings a due Representation of the Mind of Christ as unto what he requireth of his Churches and what he would have them to be The Lord Christ is the Apostle and High Priest of our Profession and in all things that belong thereunto we declare that we do it in compliance with his Will and we do so or we are Hypocrites This no man can do in such a Church state who is convinced of its defects without reflecting the greatest dishonour on Christ and the Gospel More weight will be added unto this Consideration when we shall treat of the Matter of Gospel Churches or of what sort of Persons they ought to consist In the mean time those who pretend a Reverence unto Antiquity in those things wherein they suppose Countenance to be given unto their Interest may do well sometimes to consider what was the Discipline of the Primitive Churches and what were the Manners the Lives the Heavenly Conversations of their Members Because in the 3 d. and 4 th Centuries there is mention made of Bishops distinct from Presbyters with some Ecclesiastical practices and Ceremonies in Worship not mentioned in the Scripture nor known unto the Apostolical Churches shall we judge our selves obliged to conform thereunto as our Rule and Pattern so as that in the Judgement of some they are to be esteemed no Churches who conform not their outward state and practice unto the same Rule and shall we judge ourselves at liberty to reject all that they did in the Exercise of Discipline and in the Preservation of Purity of Life and Holiness in the Churches and that according to the Command of Christ and Rule of the Scripture Who knows not upon what diligent trial and experience first obtained of their Knowledge Faith and Godliness they admitted Members into their Churches Yea such was their Care and Severity herein that they would not admit a Roman Emperour unto Communion with them unless he first confessed his Sins and joyned amongst other Penitents before his Admission Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 33. Who knows not with what diligence they watched over the Walkings and Conversations of all that were admitted among them and with what Severity they animadverted on all that fell into Scandalous Sins What was hereon their Conversation in all Holiness Righteousness Temperance Usefulness unto the World in Works of Charity and Benevolence as all other Christian vertues we have sufficient Testimony The Heathen who were morally Sober and Vertuous desired no more than that they might find out among them an Indulgence unto any sort of Sin Crime or Wickedness which because they could not charge any of them withal they invented those brutish and foolish lies about their Nightly Meetings But when a sober Enquiry was made concerning them their Enemies were forced to confess that they were guilty of no open Sin no Adulteries no Swearings or Perjuries as is evident in the Epistles of Pliny and Trajan the Emperour In particular they utterly rejected from their Communion all that resorted unto publick Stage Plays or other Spectacles a solemn
Renunciation whereof was required of them who were admitted unto Baptisme when they were adult See Clem. Pedag. lib. 3. cap. 12. If the Reader would have an account of the Lives and Manners of the first Churches in their Members he may find it in Clem. Epist. ad Cor. pag. 2 3 4. Justin Mart. Apol. 2. Tertullian in his Apol. and lib. 2. Ad Vxor de cultu faeminarum Cyprian Epist. 2. 12. Euseb. Hist. lib. 9. cap. 8. Athanas Epist. ad Solit. Epiphan lib. 3. T. 2 Sect. 24. and the multiplyed complaints of Chrysostome concerning the beginning of Degeneracy in this Matter with others If the Example of the Primitive Churches had been esteemed of any value or Authority in these things much of our present Differences had been prevented 2dly The Constitution of these Parochial Assemblies is not from Heaven but of Men. There is almost nothing which is required unto the Constitution of Evangelical Churches found in them Nor are they looked on by any as compleat Churches but only as conveniencies for the Observance of some Parts of the Worship of God What some have in their Wisdom found out for conveniency others are ingaged unto a compliance therewithal by necessity For being born within the Precincts of the Parish makes them to belong unto the Assemblies of it whether they will or no. To refrain from the Communion of such Churches whose bond of Relation consists only in Cohabitation within the Precincts of a political Constitution is a new kind of Schisme which may be cured by a removal out of those Precincts If it be said that these Parochial Assemblies have their Foundation in the Light of Nature and are directed unto in the Institution of particular Churches in the Scripture that they are not Mens Inventions for convenience but have somewhat Divine in them I say let them be left unto the Warranty which they have from these Causes and Principles let nothing be mixed in their Constitution which is contrary unto them nor let them be abridged of what they direct unto and there will be no more contending about them as unto their Constitution For instance whatever there is of Warranty in the Light of Nature or direction in Evangelical Institutions for such Assemblies they absolutely suppose these three things 1. That a Conjunction in them is a Voluntary Act of free choice in them that so joyn together in them Other kind of Assemblies for the Worship of God neither the one nor the other do give the least countenance unto 2. That they have in themselves sufficient Right Power and Authority unto the attaining all the Ends of such Assemblies in Holy Worship and Rule Other kind of Churches they know nothing of 3. That they are enabled to preserve their own Purity and continue their own Being But all these things are denied unto our Parochial Assemblies by Law and therefore they can claim no Warranty from either of those Principles Wherefore there can be no Obligation upon any Believer to joyn themselves with such Churches in constant Communion as are judged none by them that appoint them or partially and improperly only so or are of such a Constitution as hath in its essentially constituent Parts no Warranty either from the Light of Nature or Scripture direction so as that his dissent from them should be esteemed Schisme How far Communion with them for some Duties of Worship which is indeed all that they can pretend unto may be admitted we do not now enquire 3. There is not in them and therefore not in the Church of England as unto its present Profession a fixed Standard of Truth or Rule of Faith to be professed which every Believer may own and have his Part or Interest therein This I grant is not from the Original Constitution of the Church nor from what is established by any Law therein but from Persons who at present have the Declaration of its Profession committed unto them But from what cause soever it be it is sufficient to warrant any Man who takes care of his own Edification and Salvation to use his own liberty in the choice of the most effectual Means unto those Ends. Wherefore some things may be added in the farther Explanation of this Consideration As 1. It is the Duty of every Church to be the Ground and Pillar of Truth to hold fast the form of wholesome Words or to keep the Truth pure and uncorrupted from all mixture of false Doctrines Errors Heresies or the speaking of perverse things in it unto the hurt of the Disciples of Christ. 1 Tim. 3.15 2 Tim. 2.3 Acts 20.28 29 30. c. When any Church ceaseth so to be the Obligation unto Communion with it is dissolved 2. This is the principal End of the Ministry of the Church in particular Ephes. 4.11 13 1 Tim. 6.20 And where those who possess and Exercise it do eminently fail herein it is the Duty of others to withdraw from them For 3. Every private mans Confession is included in the publick Profession of the Church or Assembly whereunto he belongs And 4 Oneness or Agreement in the Truth whereby we come to have one Lord one Faith one Baptisme is the Foundation of all Church Communion which if it be taken away the whole Fabrick of it falls to the Ground If the Trumpet in any Church as unto these things gives an uncertain sound no man knows how to prepare himself for the Battle or to fight the good fight of Faith It will be said that this cannot be justly charged on the Church of England yea not without open Wrong and Injustice For she hath a fixed invariable Standard of Truth in the 39 Articles which contain its publick Profession of Faith and the Rule of its Communion Wherefore I say that it is not the primitive Constitution of the Church nor its legal Establishment that are reflected on but only the present practise of so many as makes it necessary for men to take the Care of their own Edification on themselves But here also some things are to be observed 1. These Articles at present are exceeding defective in their being a fixed Standard of the Profession of Truth with respect unto those Errors and Heresies which have invaded and pestered the Churches since their framing and establishment We know it was the constant invariable Custom of the Primitive Churches upon the Emergency of any new Errors or Heresies to add unto the Rule and Symbol of their Confession a Testimony against them so to preserve themselves from all Communion in them or participation of them And an usage it was both necessary and laudable as countenanced by Scripture Example however afterwards it was abused For no Writing such as all Church Confessions are can obviate unforeseen Heresies or Errors not broached at the time of its Writing but only that which is of Divine Institution wherein infinite Wisdom hath stored up Provision of Truth for the Destruction of all Errors that the Subtilty
or Folly of men can invent When these Articles of the Church of England were composed neither Socinianisme nor Arminianisme which have now made such an inroad on some Protestant Churches were in the World either Name or Things Wherefore in their Confession no Testimony could be expresly given against them though I acknowledge it is evident from what is contained in the Articles of it and the approved Exposition they received for a long time in the Writings of the most eminent Persons of the Church that there is a virtual Condemnation of all those Errors included therein But in that state whereunto things are come amongst us some more express Testimony against them is necessary to render any Church the Ground and Pillar of Truth 2. Besides a distinction is found out and passeth currant among us that the Articles of this Confession are not Articles of Faith but of outward Agreement for Peace's sake among our selves which is an Invention to help on the ruin of Religion For Articles of Peace in Religion concerning Matters of Faith which he that subscribes doth it not because they are true or Articles of Faith are an Engine to accommodate Hypocrisie and nothing else But according unto this Supposition they are used at mens pleasure and turned which way they have a Mind to Wherefore 3. Notwithstanding this Standard of Truth Differences in important Doctrines wherein the Edification of the Souls of Men are highly concerned do abound among them who mannage the publick Profession of the Church I shall not urge this any farther by Instances in general it cannot modestly be denied Neither is this spoken to abridge Ministers of Churches of their due Liberty in their Mannagement of the Truths of the Gospel For such a Liberty is to be granted as 1. Ariseth from the distinct Gifts that men have received For unto every one is Grace given according to the Measure of the Gift of Christ Ephes. 4.7 As every Man hath received the Gift so minister the same one to another as Good stewards of the manifold Grace of Gad 1 Pet. 4.10 2. As followeth on that Spiritual Wisdom which Ministers receive in great variety for the Application of the Truths of the Gospel unto the Souls and Consciences of Men. Hereon great variety in publick Church-Administrations will ensue but all unto Edification 3. Such as consists in a different Exposition of particular places of Scripture whilst the Analogy of Faith is kept and preserved Rom. 12.6 4. Such as admits of different stated Apprehensions in and about such Doctrines as wherein the practise and comfort of Christians are not immediately nor greatly concerned Such a Liberty I say as the Dispensation of Spiritual Gifts and the different manner of their exercise as the unsearchable depths that are in the Scripture not to be fathomed at once by any Church or any sort of Persons whatever and our knowing the best of us but in part with the difference of mens Capacities and Understandings in and about things not absolutely necessary unto Edification must be allowed in Churches and their Ministry But I speak of that Variety of Doctrines which is of greater importance Such it is as will set men at liberty to make their own Choice in the use of means for their Edification And if such Novel Opinions about the Person Grace Satisfaction and Righteousness of Christ about the Work of the Holy Spirit of God in Regeneration or the Renovation of our Nature into the Image of God as abound in some Churches should at any time by the suffrage of the Major Part of them who by Law are entrusted with its conduct be declared as the sense of the Church it is and would be sufficient to absolve any man from an Obligation unto its Communion by vertue of its first Institution and Establishment 5. Evangelical Discipline is neither observed nor attainable in these Parochial Assemblies nor is there any Releif provided by any other means for that Defect This hath in general been spoken unto before but because it belongs in an especial manner unto the Argument now in hand I shall yet farther speak unto it For to declare my Mind freely I do not judge that any man can incur the Guilt of Schisme who refraines from the Communion of the Church wherein the Discipline of the Gospel is either wholly wanting or is perverted into Rule and Domination which hath no countenance given unto it in the Word of Truth And we may Observe 1. The Discipline of the Church is that alone for which any Rule or Authority is given unto it or exercised in it Authority is given unto the Ministers of the Church to dispense the Word and administer the Sacraments which I know not why some call the Key of Order But the only End why the Lord Christ hath given Authority or Rule or Power for it unto the Church or any in it it is for the Exercise of Discipline and no other Whatever Power Rule Dignity or Preheminence is assumed in the Churches not meerly for this End is Usurpation and Tyranny 2. The outward means appointed by Jesus Christ for the Preservation of his Churches in Order Peace and Purity consists in this Discipline He doth by his Word give Directions and Commands for this end and it is by Discipline alone that they are executed Wherefore without it the Church cannot live in its Health Purity and Vigor the Word and Sacraments are its Spiritual Food whereon its Life doth depend But without that Exercise and Medicinal Applications unto its Distempers which are made by Discipline it cannot live an healthy vigorous fruitful Life in the things of God 3. This Discipline is either private or publick 1. That which is private consists in the mutual watch that all the Members of the Church have over one another with Admonitions Exhortations and Reproofes as their Edification doth require The loss of this Part of the Discipline of Christ in most Churches hath lost us much of the Glory of Christian Profession 2. That which is publick in the Rulers of the Church with and by its own consent The Nature and Acts of it will be afterwards considered 4 There are three things considerable in this Discipline 1. The Power and Authority whereby it is exercised 2. The Manner of its Administration 3. The especial Object of it both as it is Susceptive of Members and Corrective Whereunto we may add its general End 1. The Authority of it is only a Power and Liberty to act and ministerially exercise the Authority of Christ himself As unto those by whom it is exercised it is in them an Act of Obedience unto the Command of Christ but with respect unto its Object the Authority of Christ is exerted in it That which is exercised on any other Warranty or Authority as none can exert the Authority of Christ but by vertue of his own Institutions whose Acts are not Acts of Obedience unto Christ whatever else it be it belongs not unto
can have that respect and Devotion unto them as they would have unto hereditary Rulers long Succession in Rulers being the great cause of Veneration in the People especially such as had a Succession one unto another by a Natural Descent through Divine Appointment as the Preists had under the Law or as unto those whom on the account of their Worth Ability and Fitness for the work of the Ministry among them they do choose themselves they may do well to consider who are concerned The necessity there is of maintaining a Reputation and Interest by secular Grandeur Pomp and Power of Ruling the People of the Church in Church Matters by external force with many other Inconveniences do all proceed from this Order of things or rather disorder in the Call of men unto the Ministry And hence it is that the City of God and the People of Christ therein which is indeed the only true free Society in the World have Rulers in it and over them neither by a Natural Right of their own as in Paternal Government nor by hereditary Succession nor by Election nor by any way or means wherein their own consent is included but are under a Yoke of an Imposition of Rulers on them above any Society on the Earth whatever Besides there is that Relation between the Church and its Guides that no Law Order or Constitution can create without their mutual voluntary Consent And therefore this Right and Liberty of the People in every Church to choose their own Spiritual Officers was for many Ages preserved sacredly in the primitive times But hereof there is no shadow remaining in our Parochial Churches sundry Persons as Patrons and Ordinaries have a concurring Interest into the imposing of a Minister or such whom they esteem so upon any such Church without the Knowledge Consent or Approbation of the Body of the Church either desired or accepted If there be any who cannot comply with this Constitution of things relating unto the Ministry because it is a Part of their Profession of the Gospel which they are to make in the World which yet really consists only in an avowed subjection unto the Commands of Christ they can be no way obnoxious unto any charge of Schisme upon their refusal so to do For a Schisme that consists in giving a Testimony unto the Institutions of Christ and standing fast in the Liberty wherewith he hath made Disciples free is that whose Guilt no man need to fear 5. What remaineth of those Reasons whereon those who cannot comply with the Conformity under Consideration are cleared in point of Conscience from any Obligation thereunto and so from all Guilt of Schisme whatever belongs unto the Head of Impositions on their Consciences and Practise which they must submit unto These being such as many whole Books have been written about the chief whereof have no way been answered unless railings and scoffings with contempt and fierce Reproaches with false Accusations may pass for Answers I shall not here again insist upon them Some few things of that Nature I shall only mention and put an end unto this Dispute 1. The Conformity required of Ministers consists in a publick Assent and Consent unto the Book of Common Prayer with the Rubrick in it which contains all the whole Practise of the Church of England in its commands and Prohibitions Now these being things that concern the Worship of God in Christ the whole entire State Order Rule and Government of the Gospel Church whoever gives solemnly this Assent and Consent unless he be allowed to enter his Protestation against those things which he dislikes and of the sense wherein he doth so assent and consent which by Law is allowed unto none the said Assent and Consent is his publick Profession that all these things and all contained in them are according to the Mind of Christ and that the Ordering of them as such is part of their professed Subjection unto his Gospel Blessed be God most Ministers are too wise and honest to delude their Consciences with Distinctions Equivocations and Reservations and do thereon rather choose to suffer Penury and Penalty then to make the least entrenchment upon their own Consciences or the honour of the Gospel in their Profession What they do and declare of this Nature they must do it in Sincerity as in the sight of God as approving what they do not only as pardonable effects of Necessity but as that which is the best they have or can do in the Worship of God with a solemne Renunciation of whatever is contrary unto what they do so approve And whether this be a meet Imposition on the Consciences of Ministers with reference unto a great Book or Volume of a various composition unto things almost without number wherein exceptions have been given of old and lately not answered nor answerable with Rules Laws Orders not pretending to be Scriptural Prescriptions is left unto the Judgment of all who have due thoughts of their approaching Account before the Judgment Seat of Jesus Christ. 2. The Conformity that is required of others being precisely and without Power of Dispensation in them by whom it is required to answer the Rule or Law of it before declared every Man by his so conforming doth thereby take it on his Conscience and make it Part of his Christian Profession that all which he so conformes unto is not only what he may do but what he ought to do both in matter and manner so farre as the Law or any Part of it doth determine or enjoyn them No man is allowed to make either distinction or Protestation with respect unto any thing contained in the Rules and therefore whatever he doth in compliance therewith is interpretable in the sight of God and Man as an Approbation of the whole Sincerity and Openness in Profession is indispensibly required of us in order unto our Salvation And therefore to instruct men as unto the Worship of God to do what they do not judge to be their Duty to do but only hope they may do it without Sin or to joyn themselves in and unto that Performance of it which either they approve not of as the best in the whole or not lawful or approveable in some Parts of it is to instruct them unto the Debauching of their Consciences and Ruine of their own Souls Let every one be perswaded in his own Mind for what is not of Faith is Sin 3. There is in this Conformity required a Renunciation of all other ways of publick Worship or means of Edification that may be made use of For they are all expresly forbidden in the Rule of that Conformity No Man therefore can comply with that Rule but that a Renunciation of all other publick wayes of Edification as unlawful is part of the visible Profession which they make Video meliora proboque deteriora sequor is no good Plea in Religion It is uprightness and Integrity that will preserve Men and nothing else He that
which having as they thought unduely enough failed in one or two Instances it became the Destruction of a Church state not only in the Churches where such Mistakes had happened as they surmized but unto all the Churches in the World that would hold Communion with them But in these things we have no concernment Other Notions of Schisme besides those insisted on we acknowledge not nor is any other advanced with the least Probality of Truth Nor are we to be moved with outcries about Schisme wherein without regard to Truth or Charity men contend for their own Interest Of those Notions of it which have been received by men sober and learned we decline a trial by none that only excepted that the Refusal of Obedience unto the Pope and Church of Rome is all that is Schisme in the World which indeed is none at all That which is now so fiercely pleaded by some concerning different Observations of external Modes Rites Customes some more or none at all to make men Schismaticks is at once to judge all the Primitive Churches to be Schismatical Their Differences Varieties and Diversities among them about these things cannot be enumerated and so without any disadvantage unto the Faith or breach of Love they continued to be untill all Church Order and Power was swallowed up in the Papal Tyranny ten thousand times more pernicious then ten thousand such Disputes For a Close unto this whole Discourse concerning the original nature and state of Gospel Churches I shall use that Liberty which Love of the Truth puts into my Possession Churches mentioned in the Scripture ordained and appointed by the Authority of Jesus Christ were nothing but a certain number of Men and Women Converted to God by the preaching of the Gospel with their baptized seed associating themselves in Obedience unto Christs Commands and by the Direction of his Apostles for the common Profession of the same Faith the Observance and Performance of all Divine Institutions of Religious Worship unto the Glory of God their own Edification and the Conversion of others These Believers thus associated in Societies knowing the Command and Appointment of Jesus Christ by his Apostles for that End did choose from among themselves such as were to be their Rulers in the Name and Authority of Christ according to the Law and Order of his institutions who in the Scripture are called on various Considerations Elders Bishops Pastors and the like names of Dignity Authority and Office who were to administer all the solemn Ordinances of the Church among them Unto this Office they were solemnly appointed ordained or set apart by the Apostles themselves with fasting Prayer and imposition of hands or by other ordinary Officers after their decease This was the way and method of the Call and setting apart of all Ordinary Officers in the Church both under the Old Testament and in the New It is founded in the Light of Nature In the first Institution of ordinary Church Rulers under the Law the People looked out and chose fit Persons whom Moses set apart to the Office Deut. 1.13 14 15. And in the Call of Deacons Acts 6. The Apostle uses the same Words or words of the same importance unto the Church as Moses did to the People Acts 6.31 asserting the Continuation of the same way and order in their Call And whereas he who was first to be called to Office under the New Testament after the Ascension of Christ fell under a double Consideration namely of an Officer in general and of an Apostle which office was extraordinary there was a threefold Act in his Call the People chose two one of which was to be an Officer Acts 1.23 Gods immediate Determination of one as he was to be an Apostle ver 24. and the obedient Consent of the People in compliance with that Determination ver 26. The Foundation of these Churches was generally in a small number of Believers But their Church state was not compleat until they were supplyed with all ordinary Officers as Bishops and Deacons The former were of of several sorts as shall be proved hereafter And of them there were many in every Church whose number was encreased as the Members of the Church were multiplied So God appointed in the Church of the Jews that every ten Families should have a peculiar Ruler of their own Choice Deut. 1.13 14 15 For there is no mention in the New Testament of any one single Bishop or Elder in any Church of any sort whatever either Absolutely or by way of Preheminence But as the Elders of each Church were many at least more thenone so there was a parity among them and an Equality in Order Power and Rule Nor can any Instance be given unto the Contrary Of these Churches one onely was originally planted in one City Town or Village This way was taken from Conveniency for Edification and not from any positive Institution and it may be otherwise where Conveniency and Opportunity do require it The Number in these Churches Multiplying dayly there was a necessity of the Multiplication of Bishops or Elders among them Hereon the Advantage of some one Person in Priority of Conversion or of Ordination in Age Gifts and Graces especially in Ability for Preaching the Gospel and administring the Holy Ordinances of the Church with the Necessity of preserving Order in the Society of the Elders themselves gave him peculiar Dignity Preheminence and Title He was soon after the Bishop without any disadvantage to the Church For in those Churches in some of them at least Evangelists continued for a long Season who had the Administration of Church Affairs in their hands And some there were who were of Note among the Apostles and eminently esteemed by them who had eminent yea Apostolical Gifts as to Preaching of the Word and Prayer which was the peculiar work of the Apostle These were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned by Clemens Of the many other Elders who were associated in the Rule of the Church it may be not many had Gifts for the constant Preaching of the Word nor were called thereunto Hence Justin Martyr seemes to assign the constant publick Administration of Sacred Ordinances unto one President And this also promoted the constant presidency of one in whom the Apostolical Aid by Evangelists might be supplyed These Churches thus fixed and settled in one place each of them City Town or Village were each of them intrusted with all the Power and Priviledges which the Lord Christ hath granted unto or endued his Church withal This Power is called the power of the Keys or of binding and loosing which hath respect only unto the Consciences of Men as unto things Spiritual and Eternal being meerly Ministerial Every one of these Churches were bound by the Command of Christ to live in Peace and Vnity through the Exercise of Peculiar sincere and fervent Love among all their Members as also to walk in Peace and useful Communion with all othâ—â— Churches in the
World according as they had oppâ—â—tunity of Converse with them And when on any occasion any Division or Schisme fell out among any of their Members in this Church state it was severely rebuked by the Apostles All these Churches and all the Members of them were obliged by vertue of Divine Institution to obey their Guides to Honour and Reverence them and by their voluntary Contribution to provide for their Honourable Subsistence and maintenance according to their Ability Other Church state neither the Scripture nor Antiquity unto the End of the second Century do know any thing of which I shall hereafter more fully manifest Neither was there any thing known then to be Schisme or so esteemed but a Division falling out in some one of these Churches which hapned for the most part if not onely by some of their Teachers falling into heresie and drawing away Disciples after them Acts 20.30 or by various opinions about their Guides 1 Cor. 1.12 or the Ambition of some in seeking the Power and Authority of office among them To seek for any thing among those Churches wherein our present Contest about Schisme is concerned is altogether in vain There was then no such subordination of Churches of many unto one as is now pleaded No such distinction of Officers into those who have a plenary and those who have a partiary power onely in the Rule of the Church No Church with a single Officer over it Comprehending in a Subjection unto its Jurisdiction a multitude of other Churches No Invention no Imposition of any Orders Formâ— of Prayer or Ceremonies of Worship not of Divine Institution were once thought of and when any thing of that Nature was first attempted it caused great troubles amongst them In a Word the things on the account of a Non-compliance wherewithal we are vehemently charged with Schisme were then neither laid nor hatch'd neither thought of nor invented To Erect new kinds of Churches to introduce into them new Orders new Rules Rites and Ceremonies to impose their Observation on all Churches and all Members of them and to charge their dissent with the guilt of Schisme that Schisme which is prohibited and condemned in the Scripture hath much of an assumed Authority and Severity in it nothing of Countenance from the Scripture or Primitive Antiquity But after that Churches began to depart from this original Constitution by the wayes and means before declared every alteration produced a new supposition of Church Unity and peace whereto every Church of a new Constitution layed claim New sorts of Schisme were also coyned and framed For there was a certain way found out and carried on in a Mistery of Iniquity whereby those Meek Holy Humble Churches or Societies of Christs Institution who as such had nothing to do with the things of the World in Power Authority Dignity Jurisdiction or Wealth in some Instances wherein they got the Advantage one of another became in all these things to equal Kingdomes and Principalities yea one of them to Claim a Monarchy over the whole World During the Progression of this Apostacy Church Unity and Schisme declined from their Centre and varied their state according unto the present Interest of them that prevailed Whoever had got Possession of the name of the Church in a prevailing Reputation though the state of it was never so Corrupt made it bite and devour all that disliked it and would swear that submission unto them in all things was Church-Unity and to dissent from them was Schisme Unto that state all the World know that things were come in the Church of Rome Howbeit what hath been disputed about or contended for of Power Priviledges Authority Preheminence Jurisdiction Catholicisme wayes of Worship Rule and Discipline which the World is filled with such a noise about and in the dispute whereof so many various Hypotheses are advanced that cannot be accommodated unto such Christian Congregations as we have described are but the Effects of the Prudence or Imprudence of men and what it will prove the Event will shew Things of this Nature being once well understood will deliver the World from innumerable fruitless endless Contests Sovereign Princes from all disturbance on the account of Religion and private Persons from the fatal Mistake of entrusting the eternal Concernments of their Souls unto their Relation unto one Church and not unto another I am not so vain as at this time to expect the Reduction of Christian Religion unto its primitive Power Purity and Simplicity nor do I reflect blame on them who walk Conscientiously in such a Church state and Order as they approve of or suppose it the best they can attain unto onely I think it Lawful for all Christs Disciples at all times to yield Obedience unto all his Commands and to abstain from being Servants of Men in what he hath not enjoyned An Answer to Dr. Stillingfleets Book of the Unreasonableness of Separation in Defence of the Vindication of Non-Conformists from the Guilt of Schisme THE Preceding Discourse was written for the most part before the publishing of the Treatise of the Reverend Dr. Stillingfleet Entituled the Vnreasonableness of Separation Yet was it not so without a Prospect at least a probable Conjecture that something of the same kind and tendency with the Doctors Book would be published in Defence of the Cause which he had undertaken And I was not without hopes that the whole of it might have been both finished and communicated unto publick view before any thing farther were attempted against our Cause whereby many Mistakes might have been prevented For as I was willing yea very desirous if it were the Will of God that I might see before my departure out of this World the Cause of Conformity as things are now stated between us and the Church of England pleaded with Judgment Moderation and Learning with the best of those Arguments whereby our Principles or Practises are opposed so considering on what hand that work was now like to fall I thought si pergania dextra c. and am of the same Mind still But my expectation being frustrate of representing our whole Cause truly stated for the Prevention of Mistakes by the coming out of this Book against all sorts of Nonconformists I thought it convenient to publish this first Part of what I had designed and to annex unto it the ensuing Defence of the Vindication of Non-conformists from the charge of Schisme For although I do know that there is nothing material in the whole Book of the Vnreasonableness of Sepaeration but what is obviated or answered before hand in the preceeding Discourse so as that the Principles and Demonstrations of them contained therein may easily be applyed unto all the Reasonings Exceptions and Pleas in and of that Book to render them useless unto the End designed which is to reinforce a charge of Schisme against us Yet I think it necessary to shew how unsuccessful from the disadvantage of his Cause the Doctor hath been
in his laborious endeavour to stigmatize all Protestant Dissenters from the Church of England with the odious name of Schismaticks I have therefore altered nothing of what I had projected either as to Matter or Method in this first Part of the Discourse designed on the whole Subject of Church Affairs For as I have not found either Cause or Reason from any thing in the Doctors Book to make the least change in what I had writtâ—n so my principal Design being the Instruction and confirmation of them who have no other Interest in these things but only to know and perform their own Duty I was not willing to give them the trouble of perpetual diversions from the Matter in hand which all Controversial Writings are Subject unto Wherefore having premised some general Considerations of things insisted on by the Dr. of no great Influence into the Cause in hand and vindicated one Principle a supposition whereof we rely upon namely the Declension of the Churches in the Ages after the Apostles especially after the End of the second Century from the Primitive Institution of their State Rule and Order in the Preface I shall now proceed to consider and examine distinctly what is opposed unto the Defence of our Innocency as unto the Guilt of Schisme But some things must be premised hereunto As 1. I shall not depart from the state of the Question as laid down by our selves on our part as unto our Judgement of Parochial Churches and our Refraining from Communion with them Great Pains is taken to prove the several sorts of Dissenters to be departed farther from the Church of England then they will themselves allow and on such Principles as are disavowed by them But no Disputations can force our Assent unto what we know to be contrary unto our Principles and Perswasions 2. We do allow those Parochial Assemblies which have a settled unblamable Ministry among them to be true Churches so far as they can pretend themselves so to be Churches whose Original is from occasional Cohabitation within Precincts limited by the Law of the Land Churches without Church-Power to choose or ordain their Officers to provide for their own Continuation to admit or exclude Members or to reform at any time what is amiss among them Churches which are in all things under the Rule of those who are set over them by vertue of Civil Constitutions forraign unto them not submitted willingly unto by them and such for the most part as whose Offices and Power have not the least countenance given unto them from the Scripture or the Practice of the Primitive Churches Such as are Chancellours Commissaries Officials and the like Churches in which for the most part through a total Neglect in Evangelical Discipline there is a great Degeneracy from the exercise of Brotherly Love and the Holiness of Christian Profession whatever can be ascribed unto such Churches we willingly allow unto them 3. We do and shall abide by this Principle that communion in Faith and Love with the Administration of the same Sacraments is sufficient to preserve all Christians from the Guilt of Schisme although they cannot communicate together in some Rites and Rules of Worship and Order As we will not admit of any presumed Notions of Schisme and inferences from them nor allow that any thing belongs thereunto which is not contrary to Gospel Love Rules and Precepts in the Observance of Christs Institutions so we affirm and shall maintain that men abiding in the Principles of Communion mentioned walking peaceably among themselves refraining Communion with others peaceably wherein they dissent from them ready to joyn with other Churches in the same Confession of Faith and in the Defence of it and to concur with them in promoting all the real ends of Christian Religion not judging the Church state of others so as to renounce all Communion with them as condemning them to be no Churches continuing in the occasional exercise of all Duties of Love towards them and their Members are unduely charged with with the Guilt of Schisme to the disadvantage of the Common Interest of the Protestant Religion amongst us 4. Whereas there are two parts of the Charge against us the one for refraining from total communion with Parochial Assemblies which what it is and wherein it doth consist hath been before declared the other for gathering ourselves into another Church Order in particular Congregations as the Reasons and Grounds of the things themselves are distinct so must they have a distinct consideration and be examined distinctly and apart These things being premised I shall proceed to examine what the Reverend Doctor hath further offered against our former Vindication of the Non-conformists from the charge of Schisme and I desire the Reader to take notice that we delight not in these contentions that we desire nothing but mutual Love and Forbearance but we are compelled by all Rules of Scripture and natural Equity to abide in this Defence of ourselves For whereas we are charged with a Crime and that aggravated as one of the most heynous that men can incur the Guilt of in this World and to justifie men in severities against us being not in the least convinced in our Consciences of any Accessions thereunto or of any Guilt on the account of it I suppose the Doctor himself will not think it reasonable that we should altogether neglect the Protection of our own Innocency In the Method whereinto he hath cast his Discourse he begins with the reinforcement of his Charge against our refraining from total Communion with Parochial Assemblies If the Reader will be pleased to take a reveiw of what is said in the preceding Discourse unto this Head of our Charge in several Chapters he will easily perceive that either the Reasonings of the Doctor reach not the Cause in hand or are insufficient to justifie his Intention which I must say though I am unwilling to repeat it is by all ways and means to load us with the Guilt and disreputation of Schisme That which I first meet withal directly unto this Purpose is Part 2. pag. 157. The Forbearance of Communion with the Church of England in its Parochial Assemblies that is in the way and manner before described he opposeth with two Arguments The first respects those who allow occasional Communion with Parochial Churches but will not comply with them in that which is constant and absolute For he says if the first be lawful the latter is necessary from the commands we have to preserve the Peace and Vnity of the Church And the not doing it he says is one of the provoking sins of the Non-conformists but whether it be a sin or no is sub Judice that it is provoking unto some is sufficiently evident I shall not make this any part of my Contest Those who have so expressed their Charity as to give countenance unto this pretended Advantage will easily free themselves from the force of this Inference For it must be remembered that
this constant total Communion doth not only include a conscientious Observance of all things appointed to be done by the Rules or Canons in those Assemblies but a Renunciation also of all other ways and means of Edification by joint Communion as unlawful and Evil. And it will be hard to prove that on a Concession of the Lawfulness of Communion in some Acts of Divine Worship it Will be necessary for men to oblige themselves unto total constant Communion with a Renunciation and Condemnation of all other ways and means of joint Edification It may also be lawful to do a thing with some respects and Limitations at some times which it may not be lawful to do absolutely and alwayes It may be necessary from outward circumstances to do that Sometimes which is lawful in itself though not necessary from itself it can never be necessary to do that which is unlawful Of the first sort they esteem occasional Communion and the other of the latter Some time is spent in taking off an Exception unto this Inference from the Practise of our Saviour who had occasional Communion with the Jews in the Temple and Synagogues which he proves to have been constant and perpetual and not occasional only and that he prescribed the same Practise unto his Disciples But I think this labour might have been spared For there is nothing more clear and certain then that our Lord Jesus Christ did joyn with the Jews in the Observance of Gods Institutions among them on the one hand and on the other that he never joyned with them in the observance of their own Traditions and Pharasaical Impositions but warned all his Disciples to avoid them and refuse them whose Example we desire to follow for concerning all such Observances in the Church he pronounced that sentence Every plant that my Heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up But the Doctor proceeds unto a second Argument pag. 163 to the same Purpose from as he calls it the particular force of that Text Phil. 3.16 As far as we have already attained let us walk by the same Rule mind the same things This is the Text which gave the first occasion unto this whole Dispute The Doctors Intention is so indefensible from this place that I thought however he might persist in the Defence of the Cause he had undertaken he would have forborn from seeking Comtenance unto it from these Words of the Apostle But it is fallen out otherwise and I am here in the first place called unto an Account for the Exceptions I put in unto his Application of these Words of the Apostle in my Vindication of the Non-conformists I will spare the Reader as much as is possible in the Repetition of things formerly spoken and the Transcription of his Words or my own without prejudice unto the Cause itself After a Reflection of some Obscurity and Intricacy on my Discourse he repeates my sense of the Words according unto his Apprehension under four Heads about which I shall not contend seeing whether he hath apprehended my Mind aright or no or expressed the whole of what I declared belongs not unto the Merit of the Cause in hand Nor indeed do I yet know directly what he judgeth this Text doth prove or what it is that he inferrs from it though I know well enough what it is designed to give countenance unto and what is the Application that is made of it And therefore he issues his whole Dispute about it in this Enquiry how far the Apostles Rule hath an influence on this case But whosoever shall come unto a sedate Consideration of this Text and Context without Prejudice without preconceived Opinions without Interest in Parties or Causes will judge it to be a Matter of Art to apply them unto the present Controversie as unto the Imposition of an Arbitrary Rule of walking in Churches on all that are presumed to belong unto them But to clear these things the Doctor proposeth three things to be debated 1. Whether the Apostle speaks of different Opinions or different Practices 2. Whether the Rule he gives be mutual Forbearance 3. How far the Apostle's Rule hath an influence into this case The two first of these belong not at all unto the present Argument and the last is but faintly proposed and pursued though it be the Foundation of his whole Fabrick The Reader if he will put himself to so much trouble as to compare my former Discourse with what is here offered in Answer or Opposition unto it he will easily see that nothing is pleaded that may abate the force of what was insisted on For indeed the Discourse on these things consists for the most part in Diversions from the Argument in hand whereby an Appearance is made of various Arguings and the Proof of sundry things which belong not unto the Case in hand Without any long Deductions artificial Insinuations or diverting Reasonings without wresting the Text or Context these things are plain and evident in them 1. A Supposition of Differences among Believers in and about Opinions and Practises relating unto Religion and the Worship of God So is at present between us and those of the Church of England by whom we are opposed 2. In this state whilst these Differences do continue there is one common Rule according unto which those who so dissent among themselves are to walk in the things wherein they are agreed Such is the Rule of Faith and Love which we all assent unto and are agreed in 3. This Rule cannot consist in a precise Determination of the things in Difference with an Authoritative Prescription of Vniformity in Opinions and Practise because it is directed unto upon a supposition of the continuation of those Differences between Believers 4. That during the continuation of these Differences or different Apprehensions and Practices whilst on all hands they use the means of coming unto the Knowledge of the Truth in all things that they should walk in Love mutually forbearing one another in those things wherein they differed Untill it be manifested that these things are not the Design of the Context and to contain the sense of the Words they are not only useless unto the Doctors Design but opposite unto it and destructive of it But nothing is here attempted unto that Purpose To draw any Argument from these Words applicable unto his Design it must be proved 1. That besides the Rule of Faith Love and Worship given by Divine Institution and Obligatory unto all the Disciples of Christ or all Churches in all times and Ages that the Apostles gave a Rule concerning outward Rites Ceremonies Modes of Worship Feasts and Fastings Ecclesiastical Government Liturgies and the like unto which all Believers ought to conform on the Penalty of being esteemed Schismaticks and dealt withal accordingly For this only is that wherein we are concerned 2. That because the Apostles made such a Rule which we know not what it is or what is become of it that
And 2. Such as might be observed any where among the Nations they acted accordingly Those who lived at Jerusalem adhered unto the Temple Worship the whole Church these did so Their Judgement in these things is declared Acts 21.20.21 Thou seest Brother how many thousands of the Jews there are which believe and they are all Zealous of the Law and they are informed of thee that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses saying that they ought not to circumcise their Children neither to walk after the Customes They were not at all offended with Paul that he did not impose the Law on the Gentiles ver 25. but only that as they had been informed he taught the Jews to forsake the Law and to reject all the Institutions of it This they thought unlawful for them And this they spake principally with respect unto the Temple Service as appears by the Advice given unto Paul on this Occasion ver 23 24. Those who lived amongst the Gentiles knew that there was no Obligation on them unto the Sacrifices and especial Duties of the Temple but continued only in the observance of such Rites and Institutions about Meats Washings Days New Moons Sabbaths and the like which the Gentiles were freed from Hence there were two sorts of Churches in those days if not three in Separation more or less from the Apostate Church of the Unbelieving Jews which yet was not finally taken away 1. The Church of Hierusalem and those Churches of Judea which were of the same Mind and Communion with them These continued in the Observance of all the Law and of the Services of the Temple being allowed them by the Apostles 2. Those of the Jews who lived in the Nations and observed all the Rites of the Law which were not confined unto the Land of Canaan And 3. The Churches of the Gentiles which observed none of these things forbearing only their Liberty in one or two Instances not to give the other Offence Some Differences and Disputes happened sometimes about these things and the Practise of them whereon Peter himself fell into a Mistake Gal. 2.14 And there seemes to have been great Disputes about them at Rome chap. 14. Yea it is judged that according unto their different Apprehensions of these things there were two Churches at Rome one of the Circumcision the other of the Gentiles walking in distinct Communion each by themselves However the different Rule of this kind that was between the Churches of Hierusalem and Antioch is sufficiently declared Acts 15. the one Church continuing Zealous of the Law and the other rejoyced for the Consolation of being delivered from it ver 31. Yet was there no Schisme between these Churches but a constant Communion in Faith and Love Such differences in Opinions and Practises were not yet formed into an Interest obliging men to condemn them as Schismaticks who differ from them For not to speak of what Orders and Rules for decency particular Churches may make by common Consent among themselves to make the Observation of Arbitrary Institutions not prescribed in the Scripture upon many Churches to be the Rule of Communion in them and between them which whosoever observe not are to be esteemed Guilty of Schisme which Victor Bishop of Rome first attempted is contrary to the Rules of the Scripture to the Principles of Christian Faith Love and Liberty to the Example of the Apostles hath no countenance given unto it in the Primitive Churches and will certainly make our Differences Endless I judge that in the Beginning of the Chapter the Apostle intends those of the first sort and that as well because he calls them Dogs and the Concision which answers unto the Account he gives of them 1 Thes. 2.14 15 as also because he speaks of them as those who advanced the pretended Priviledges of Judaisme absolutely against Christ the Gospel and the Righteousness of God revealed therein Hereon in opposition unto them he declares that they had nothing to boast of but what he himself had a Right unto as well as they and which he had voluntarily relinquished and renounced for Christ and the Gospel wherein he testifies what he had attained If any one do judge that he intend those of the second sort I will not contend about it because of the severity of Expression which he useth concerning them Gal. 5.12 But discharging the consideration of them the Direction in this place concerns those of the third sort only answering unto that which was prescribed and followed by the Apostles in all Places namely that there should be mutual Forbearance in some Difference of Practise between them and the Gentile Believers His second Enquiry pag. 168 is Whether the Rule which the Apostle lays down be only a Rule of mutual Forbearance I do not find that I said any where that it was only a Rule of mutual Forbearance but that the Words of the Apostle do enjoyn a mutual Forbearance among those who are differently minded pag. 26. And I must here say which I desire to do without offence that there is no need of any farther Answer unto that Part of the Doctors Discourse but a Transcription of that which he pretends to oppose for what is spoken unto that end consists in a perpetual Diversion from the Argument in hand I did not before precisely determine what was the Rule which the Apostle doth intend only proved sufficiently that it was not such a Rule as is pleaded for by the Doctor But the meaning of the Phrase and Expression is plain enough 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is directly used once more by the Apostle Gal. 6.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as many as walk according to this Rule and what Rule is that namely what as unto the substance of it he lays down in the Words foregoing ver 14 15. God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Vncircumcision but a new Creature and as many as walk according unto this Rule that is the Rule of Faith in Christ alone for Justification and Sanctification without trusting unto or resting on any of those things which were in difference among them The Places in Scope Design and manner of Expression are Parallel For this is plainly that which he pleads for in this Context namely that Justification and Sanctification are to be obtained alone through Christ and Faith in him by the Gospel without the least Aid and Assistance from the things that were in Difference among them Wherefore not farther to contend in so plain a Matter the Rule here intended by the Apostle is no Book of Canons but the Analogy of Faith or the Rule of Faith in Christ as declared in the Gospel in opposition unto all other ways and means of Justification Sanctification and Salvation which we ought to walk in a Compliance withal and that with Love and Forbearance towards them that in
by all the Governours of the Christian Church that the Jewish Christians should be left unto their own Liberty out of respect unto the Law of Moses and out of regard unto the Peace of the Christian Church which otherwise might have been extremely hazarded But 1. The Governours of the Christian Church which made the Determination insisted on were the Apostles themselves 2. There was no such Determination made that the Jews should be left unto their own Liberty in this Matter but there was only a Connivance at their Inclination to bear their old Yoke for a Season The Determination was onely on the other hand that no Imposition of it should be made on the Gentiles 3. The Determination it self was no Act of Church Government or Power but a doctrinal Declaration of the Mind of the Holy Ghost 4. It is well that Church Governours once judged that Impositions in things not necessary were to be forborn for the sake of the Peace of the Church Others I hope may in due time be of the same Mind 2. He says The false Apostles imposing on the Gentile Christians had two circumstances in it which extreamly alter their Case from that of our Dissenters For 1. They were none of their lawful Governours but went about as seducers drawing away the Disciples of the Apostles from them It seems then 1. That those who are lawful Governours or pretend themselves so to be may impose what they please without Controul as they did in the Papacy and the Councils of it But 2. Their Imposition was meerly doctrinal wherein there was no Pretence of any Act of Government or governing Power which made it less grievous then that which the Dissenters have suffered under Were things no otherwise imposed on us we should bear them more easily 2. Saith he They imposed the Jewish Rites as necessary to Salvation and not meerly as indifferent things And the Truth is so long as they judged them so to be they are more to be excused in their doctrinal Impositions of them then others are who by an Act of Government fortified with I know not how many Penalties do impose things which themselves esteem indifferent and those on whom they are imposed do judge to be unlawful Whereas he addes that he hath considered all things that are Material in Discourse which seem to take off the force of the Argument drawn from this Text I am not of his Mind nor I believe will any indifferent Person be so who shall compare what I wrote therein with his exceptions against it though I acknowledge it is no easie thing to discover wherein the force of the pretended Argument doth lye That we must walk according unto the same Rule in what we have attained that wherein we differ we must wait on God for Teaching and Instruction that the Apostles Elders and Brethren at Hierusalem determined from the Scriptures or the Mind of the Holy Ghost therein that the Jewish Ceremonies should not be imposed on the Gentile Churches and Beleivers and that thereon those Churches continued in Communion with each other who did and did not observe those Ceremonies are the only Principles which in Truth the Doctor hath to proceed upon To infer from these Principles and Propositions that there is a National Church of Divine Institution for what is not so hath no Church Power properly so called the nature of its Power being determined by the Authority of its Institution or Erection That this Church hath Power in its Governours and Rulers to invent new Orders Ceremonies and Rites of Worship new Canons for the Observation of sundry things in the Rule of the Church and Worship of God which have no Spring nor Cause but their own Invention and Prescription and is authorized to impose the Observation of them on all particular Churches and Believers who never gave their consent unto their Invention or Prescription and hereon to declare them all to be wicked Schismaticks who yield not full Obedience unto them in these things it requires a great deal of Art and Skil in the Mannagers of the Argument SECT II. PArt 2. Sect. 21. pag. 176. Our Author proceeds to renew his Charge of Schisme or sinful Separation against those who though they agree with us saith he in the substantials of Religion yet deny any Communion with our Church to be lawful But apprehending that the state of the Question here insinuated will not be admitted and that it would be difficult to find them out who deny any Communion with the Church of England to be lawful he addes that he doth not speak of any improper Acts of Communion which Dr. O. calls Communion in Faith and Love which they allow to the Church of England But why the Acts hereof are called improper Acts of Communion I know not Add unto Faith and Love the Administration of the same Sacraments with Common Advice in things of Common concernment and it is all the Communion that the true Churches of Christ have among themselves in the whole World Yea this Church Communion is such as that 1. Where it is not there is no Evangelical Communion at all whatever Acts of Worship or Church Order men may agree in the Practise of if the Foundation of that Agreement be not laid in a joint Communion in Faith and Love they are neither accepted with God nor profitable unto the Souls of men For 2. These are the things namely Faith and Love which enliven all joint Duties of Church Order and Worship are the Life and Soul of it and how they should be only improperly that which they alone make other things to be properly I cannot understand 3. Where there is no defect in these things namely in Faith and Love the Charge of Schisme on dissenting in things of lesser Moment is altogether unreasonable It is to be desired that an overweening of our Differences make us not overlook the things wherein we are agreed This is one of the greatest Evils that attend this Controversie Men are forced by their Interest to lay more weight on a few outward Rites and Ceremonies which the World and the Church might well have spared had they not come into the Minds of some Men none know how than upon the most important Graces and Duties of the Gospel Hence Communion in Faith and Love is scarce esteemed worth taking up in the streets in comparison of Vniformity in Rites and Ceremonies Let Men be as void of and remote from true Gospel Faith and Love as is imaginable yet if they comply quietly with and have a little Zeal for those outward things they are to be approved of as very orderly Members of the Church And whatever Evidences on the other hand any can or do give of their Communion in Faith and Love with all that are of that Communion yet if they cannot in Conscience comply in the Observance of those outward things mentioned they are to be judged Schismaticks and Breakers of the Churches Unity whereas no
easily convinced that there is nothing wanting unto that Evangelical Union among Churches which the Gospel requires but only their own humble holy peaceable Christian walking in their several Places and Stations But where men put their own Interests and Possession of present Advantages cloathed under the Pretence of things necessary thereunto into Conditions of Communion or divest it of that latitude wherein Christ hath left it by new Limitations of their own it will never be attained on the true Evangelical Principles that it must proceed upon For however any may be displeased with it I must assert and maintain that there is nothing required by our Lord Jesus Christ unto this end of the Communion of Churches nor to any other end of Church Order or Worship whatever but that only in whose Observance and Performance there is an actual Exercise of Evangelical Grace in Obedience unto him 4. That all Private Members of these several Churches which agree in the Communion before mentioned be left unto their own Liberty and Consciences to communicate in any of those Churches either occasionally or in a fixed way and manner Neither Orders nor compulsory Decrees will be useful in this Matter in comparison of their own declared Liberty And so it was among the Primitive Churches 5. Where Men are invincibly hindered from total communion with any Church by Impositions which they cannot comply withal without Sin or by continuing in it are deprived of the due means of their Edification the Churches whereunto they did belong refusing all Reformation it is lawful for them in Obedience unto the Law of Christ to reform themselves and to make use of the means appointed by him for their Edification abiding constantly in the Communion of all true Churches before described I confess this is that which we cannot digest namely an Imagination that the Lord Jesus Christ hath obliged his Disciples those that believe in him to abide alwayes in such Societies as wherein not only things are imposed on their Obedience and Observance which he hath not commanded but they are also forced to live in the Neglect of expressed Duties which he requireth of them and the want of that means of their own Edification which without the restraint at present upon them they might enjoy according unto his Mind and Will Believers were not made for Churches nor for the advantage of them that Rule in them but Churches were made for Believers and their Edification nor are of any use farther then they tend thereunto These are the Premises whereon we proceed in all that we do and they are so far from being Obstructive of the Peace and Union of the Protestant Churches as that without them they will never be promoted nor attained And I do beg of this Worthy Person that he would not despise these things but know assuredly that nothing would be so effectual to procure the Union he desireth as an Vniversal Reformation of all sorts of Persons according unto the Rule and Law of Christ which it may be no man hath greater Ability and Opportunity in conjunction for than himself For wo be unto us if whilst we contend about outward Peace in smaller things we neglect to make Peace with God and so expose our selves and the whole Nation unto his desolating Judgement which seem already to be impendent over us The third Absurdity which he chargeth on our Practise is that it will justifie the antient Schismes which have been always condemned in the Christian Church and in the mannagement of this Charge he proceedeth if I mistake not with more then ordinary vehemency and severity though it be a Matter wherein we are least of all concerned To make Effectual this Charge He first affirms in general that setting aside a few things they pleaded the same Reasons for their Separation as I do for ours Which how great a Mistake it is shall be manifested immediately Sâ—condly He gives Instances in several Schismes that were so condemned by the Christian Church and whose Practise is justified by us In Answer hereunto I shall first premise some things in general shewing the Insufficiency of this Argument to prove against us the Charge of Schisme and then consider the Instances produced by him I say 1. In times of Decay the declining times of Churches or states it cannot be but that some will be uneasie in their Minds although they know not how to remedy what is amiss nor it may be fix on the particulars which are the right and true Causes of the state which they find troublesome unto them And whilst it is so with them it is not to be admired at that some Persons do fall into irregular Attempts for the redressing of what is amiss The Church where the instances insisted on happened was falling into a Mysterious Decay from its original Institution Order and Rule which afterwards encreased more and more continually But all being equally involved in the same Declension the Remedies which they proposed who were uneasie either in themselves or in the manner of their Application were worse then the Disease which yet lying uncured and continually encreasing proved in the issue the Ruin of them all But here lay the Original of the Differences and Schismes which fell out in the 3 d 4 th and 5 th Centuries that having all in some Measure departed from the Original Institution Rule and Order of Evangelical Churches in sundry things and cast themselves into new formes and Orders their Differences and Quarrels related all unto them and could have had no such occasion had they kept themselves unto their Primitive Constitution Wherefore those Schismes which were said to be made by them that continued sound in the Faith as those of the Andeans and Meletians as by some is pretended and Johannites at Constantinople with sundry other seeing they disserted not any Order of Divine Institution but another which the Churches were insensibly fallen into No Judgement can be made upon a meer Separation whether of the Parties at Difference were to blame I am sure enough that sometimes neither of them could be excused Whether the Causes Reasons Ends Designs and ways of the Mannagement of those Differences that were between them on which Schismes in their present Order did ensue were just regular according to the Mind of Christ proceeding from Faith and Love is that whose Determination must fix aright the Guilt of the Divisions that were among them And whereas we judge most of those who so seperated from the Church of old as is here alledged to have failed in these things and therein to have contracted Guilt unto themselves as occasioning unwarrantable Divisions and missing wholly the only way of Cure for what was really blame-worthy in others Yet whereas we allow nothing to be Schisme properly but what is contrary to Christian Love and destructive of some Institution of Christ we are not much concerned who was in the Right or Wrong in those Contests which fell out among the
Orthodox themselves but only as they were carried on unto a total Renunciation of all Communion whatever but only that which was enclosed unto their own Party 2. To Evidence that we give the least countenance unto the antient Schismes or do contract the Guilt with the Authors of them the thing aimed at there are three things incumbent on him to prove 1. That our Parochial Churches from whom we do refrain actual presential Communion in all Ordinances where it is required by Law which cannot be many and but one at one time do succeed into the room of that Church in a Separation from which those Schismes did consist For we pass no Judgement on any other Church but what concerns our selves as unto present Duty though that in a Nation may be extended unto many or all of the same sort But these Schismes consisted in a professed Separation from the whole Catholick Church that is all Christians in the World who joyned not with them in their Opinions and Practises and from the whole Church state then passant and allowed But our Author knows full well that there are others who long before our Parochial Churches do lay claim unto the absolute enclosure of this Church state unto themselves and thereon condemn both him and us and all the Protestants in the World of the same Schisme that those of old were guilty of especially they make a continual Clamour about the Novatians and Donatists I know that he is able to dispossess the Church of Rome from that Usurpation of the State and Rights of the antient Catholick Church from whence those Separations were made and it hath been sufficiently done by others But so soon as we have cast that out of Possession to bring in our Parochial Assemblies into the room of it and to press the Guilt of Separation from them with the same Reasons and Arguments as we were all of us but newly pressed withal by the Romanists namely that hereby we give countenance unto them yea do the same things with them who made Schismes in Separating from the Catholick Church of old is somewhat severe and unequal Wherefore unless the Church from which they separated which was the whole Catholick Church in the World not agreeing and acting with them and those Parochial Assemblies from whose Communion we refrain are the same and of the same consideration nothing can be argued from those ancient Schismes against us nor is any countenance given by us unto them For if it be asked of us whether it be free or lawful for Believers to joyn in Society and full Communion with other Churches besides those that are of our way and especial Communion we freely answer that we no way doubt of it nor do judge them for their so doing 2. It must be proved unto the End proposed that the Occasions and Reasons of their Separation of old were the same or of the same nature only with those which we plead for our refraining Communion from Parochial Assemblies Now though the Dr. here makes a flourish with some Expressions about Zeal Discipline Purity of the Church Edification which he will not find in any of their Pretences yet in truth there is not one thing alledged wherein there is a Coincidence between the Occasions and Reasons pleaded by them and ours It is known that the principal thing in general which we insist upon is the unwarrantable Imposition of unscriptural Termes and Conditions of Communion upon us was there any such thing pleaded by them that made the Schismes of Old indeed they were all of them imposers and separated from the Church because they would not submit unto their Impositions Some Bishops or some that would have been Bishops but could not entertaining some new Conceit of their own which they would have imposed on all others being not submitted unto therein were the Causes of all those Schismes which were justly esteemed Criminal So was it with the Novatians and Donatists in an especial manner Even the great Tertullian though no Bishop left the Communion of the Church on this Ground For because they would not admit of the strict Observance of some Austere Severities in Fasting Abstinence from sundry Meates and Watching with the like which he esteemed necessary though no way warranted by Scripture Rule or Example he utterly renounced their Communion and countenanced himself by adhering unto the Dotages of Montanus It is true some of them contended for a Severity of Discipline in the Church but they did it not upon any pretence of the Neglect of it in them unto whom the Administration of it was committed but for the want of establishing a false Principle Rule or Erronious Doctrine which they advanced namely that the most sincere penitents were never more to be admitted into Ecclesiastical Communion whereby they did not establish but overthrow one of the Principal ends of Church Discipline They did not therefore press for the Power or the Vse of the Keys as is pretended but advanced a false Doctrine in prejudice both unto the Power and Use of them They pretended indeed unto the Purity of the Church not that there were none impure wicked and hypocritical among them but that none might be admitted who had once fallen though really made pure by sincere Repentance This was their Zeal for Purity If a Man were overtaken if they could catch him in such a fault as by the Rules of the passaint Discipline he was to be cast out of the Church there they had him safe for ever No Evidence of the most sincere Repentance could prevail for a Readmission into the Church And because other Churches would admit them they renounced all Communion with them as no Churches of Christ. Are these our Principles are these our Practices do we give any countenance unto them by any thing we say or do I somewhat wonder that the Dr. from some general Expressions and casting their Pretences under new Appearances should seem to think that there is the least Coincidence between what they insisted on and what we plead in our own Defence He may see now more fully what are the Reasons of our Practise and I hope thereon will be of another Mind not as unto our Cause in general which I am far enough from the expectation of but as unto this invidious Charge of giving Countenance unto the Schismes condemned of old in the Church And we shall see immediately what were the Occasions of those Schismes which we are as remote from giving countenance unto as unto the Principles and Reasons which they pleaded in their own Justification 3. It ought also to be proved that the Separation which is charged on us is of the same nature with that charged on them of old for otherwise we cannot be said to give any Countenance unto what they did For it is known they so separated from all other Churches in the World as to confine the Church of Christ unto their own Party to condemn all others and to
deny Salvation unto all that abode in their Communion which the Donatists did with the greatest fierceness This was that which if any thing did truely and properly constitute them Schismaticks as it doth those also who deny at this day Church State and Salvation unto such Churches as have not Diocesan Bishops Now there is no Principle in the World that we do more abhor We grant a Church state unto all however it may be defective or corrupted and a possibility of Salvation unto all their Members which are not gathered in pernicious Errors overthrowing the Foundation nor Idolatrous in their Worship and who have a lawful Ministry with sufficient means for their Edification though low in its Measures and Degrees We judge none but with respect unto our own Duty as unto the Impositions attempted to be laid on us and the Acts of Communion required of us which we cannot avoid Nor can any man else let him pretend what he will to the contrary avoid the making of a Judgment for himself in these things unless he be brutish These things are sufficient to evidence that there is not the least countenance given unto the antient Schismes by any Principles of ours yet I shall add some farther Considerations on the Instances he gives unto the same Purpose The first is that the Novatians whose Pretences were the Discipline and Purity of the Churches wherein he says there was a Concurrence of Dr. O' s Pleas Zeal for Reformation of Discipline the greater Edificatian of the People and the asserting of their Right in choosing such a Pastor as was likely to promote their Edification I am sorry that Interest and Party should sway with learned Men to seek Advantages unto their Cause so unduly The story in short is this Novatus or Novatianus rather being disappointed in his ambitious Design to have been chosen Bishop of the Church of Rome Cornelius being chosen by much the Major Part of the Church betook himself to indirect means to weaken and invalidate the Election of Cornelius And this he did by raising a new Principle of false Doctrine whereunto he as falsly accommodated the Matter of Fact The Error he broached and promoted was that there was no place for Repentance such as whereon they should be admitted into the Church unto them who had fallen into sin after Baptisme nor as some add any Salvation to be obtained by them who had fallen in the time of Persecution This the antient Church looked on as a pestilent Heresie and as such was it condmened in a considerable Counsel at Rome with Cornelius Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 43 where also is reported the Decree which they made in the Case wherein they call his Opinion Cruel or inhumane and contrary to Brotherly Love As such it is strenuously confuted by Cyprian Epist. 82. ad Antonianum But because the Church would not submit unto this Novel false Opinion of his contrary to the Scripture and the Discipline of the Church he and all his Followers separated from all the Churches in the World and rebaptized all that were baptized in the Orthodox Churches they denying unto them the means of Salvation Cyprian ad Julian Epist. 73. Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 8. That which was most probably false also in Matter of Fact when this foolish Opinion which Dionysius of Alexandria in his Epistle to Dionysius of Rome calls a most profane Doctrine reflecting unmerciful cruelty on our most gracious Lord Jesus Christ Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 8. was invented to be subservient unto was that many of those by whom Cornelius was chosen Bishop were such as had denied the Faith under the Persecution of Decius the Emperor This also was false in Matter of Fact For although that Church continued in the antient Faith and practise of receiving penitents after their Fall yet there were no such number of them as to influence the Election of Cornelius So Cyprian testifieth Factus est Cornelius Episcopus de Dei Christi ejus judicio de Clericorum poene omnium Testimonio de suffragio Plebis c. Epist. 52. On that false Opinion and this frivolous Pretence they continued their Schisme Hence afterwards when Constantine the Emperor spake with Acesius the Bishop of the Novatians at Constantinople finding him sound in the Faith of the Trinity which was then impugned by Arius he asked him why then he did not communicate with the Church whereon he began to tell him a story of what had happened in the time of Decius the Emperor pleading nothing else for himself the Emperor replying only O Acesius set up a ladder and climb alone by thy self into Heaven left him Socrat. lib. 1 cap. 7. This Error endeavoured to be imposed on all Churches this false Pretence in Matter of Fact with the following Pride in the condemnation of all other Churches denying unto them the lawful use of the Sacraments and rebaptizing them who were baptized in them do if we may believe the Doctor herein contain all my Pleas for the forbearance of Communion with Parochial Assemblies and have countenance given unto them by our Principles and Practises Of the Meletians whom he reckons up in the next place no certain Account can be given Epiphanius reports Meletus himself to have been a Good honest Orthodox Bishop and in the Difference between him and Peter Bishop of Alexandria to have been more for Truth as the other was more for Love and Charity And according unto him it was Peter and not Meletus that began the Schisme Haeres 68. N. 2 3. But others give quite another account of him Socrates affirmes that in time of Persecution he had sacrificed to Idols and was for that Reason deposed from his Episcopacy by Peter of Alexandria Lib. 3. cap. 6. Hence he was enraged against him and filled all Thebais and Aegypt with Tumults against him and the Church of Alexandria with intolerable Arrogance because he was convicted of sundry Wickednesses by Peter Theod. Hist. lib. 1. cap. 8. And his Followers quickly complyed with the Arians for their Advantage The Error he proceeded on according to Epiphanius was the same with that of Novatus which how it could be if he himself had fallen in Persecution and Sacrificed as Socrates relates I cannot understand This Schisme of Bishop Meletius also it is thought meet to be judged that we should give Countenance unto All things are in like manner uncertain concerning Audus and his Followers whom he mentions in the next place The Man is represented by Epiphanius to have been a Good Man of an holy Life sound in the Faith full of Zeal and Love to the Truth But finding many things amiss in the Church among the Clergy and People he freely reproved them for Covetousness Luxury and Disorders in Ecclesiastical Affairs Hereon he stirred up the hatred of many against himself as Chrysostome did for the same cause afterwards at Constantinople Hereupon he was vexed persecuted and greatly abused all which he bare patiently and continued in
in compliance with the political State and other circumstances of Times and Places as may be thought to tend unto their advantage That which we affirm is that no alteration of their state from the nature and kind of particular Churches is of divine institution 4. Such Churches whose frame constitution and power are destructive of the Order Liberty Power Priviledges and Duties of particular Churches are so farr contrary unto divine Institution and not to be comply'd withall Hereon we affirm That whereas we are excluded from total Communion in our Parochial Assemblies by the imposition of things unto us unlawful and sinful as indispensible conditions of their Communion and cannot comply with them in their Rule and Worship on the reasons before alledged it is part of the Duty we owe to Jesus Christ to gather our selves into particular Churches or Congregations for the celebration of Divine Worship and the observation doing or performance of all his Commands These are the things which in this case we adhere unto and which must all of them be overthrown before any colour can be given unto any charge of Schism against us and what is spoken unto this purpose in the Drs. Discourse we shall now consider Only I desire the Reader to remember that all these Principles or assertions are fully confirm'd in the preceding discourse That which first occurs in the Treatise under consideration unto the point in hand is the exception put in unto a passage in my former discourse which is as follows We do not say that because Communion in Ordinances should be only in such Churches as Christ hath instituted that therefore it is lawful and necessary to separate from Parochial Churches but if it be on other grounds necessary so to separate or withhold Communion from them it is the Duty of them that do so to joyn themselves in or unto some other particular Congregation I have not observed any occasion wherein the Dr. is more vehement in his Rhetorick then he is on that of this passage which yet appears to me to be good sence and innocent 1. Hereunto he says 1. p. 221. That this is either not to the business or it is a plain giving up the cause of Independency If he judge that it is not to the business I cannot help it and he might as I suppose have done well to have taken no notice of it as I have dealt with many passages in his Discourse But if it be a giving up of the cause of Independency I say whatever that be let whoso will take it and dispose of it as it seems good unto them but in proof hereof he says 1. Wherefore did the dissenting Brethren so much insist upon their separate Congregations when not one of the things now particularly alledged against our Church was required of them I Answer 1. If any did in those times plead for separate Congregations let them answer for themselves I was none of them They did indeed plead for distinct Congregations exempt in some few things from a penal Rule then endeavoured by some to be imposed on all But there was no such difference nor restraint of Communion between any of them as it is at present between us and Parochial Churches 2. It is very possible that there may be other reasons of forbearing a conjunction in some acts of Church Rule which was all that was pleaded for by the dissenting Brethren then those which are alledged against total Communion with Parochial Churches in Worship Order and Discipline 2. He adds secondly but if he insists on those things common to our Church with other reformed Churches then they are such things as he supposes contrary to the first institution of Churches c. I fear I do not well understand what this means nor what it tends unto but according as I apprehend the sence of it I say 1. I insist principally on such things as are not common unto them with other reformed Churches but such as are peculiar unto the Church of England These vary the terms and practice of our Communion between them and it 2. The things we except against in Parochial Churches are not contrary to their first institution as Parochial which as hath been proved is the only kind of Churches that is of divine institution but are contrary unto what is instituted to be done and observed in such Churches which one observation makes void all that he would inferre from the present suppositions as 3. He enquireth hereon what difference there is between sâ—perating from our Churches because Communion in Ordinances is onely to be enjoyed in such Churches as Christ hath instituted and separating from them because they have things repugnant unto the first institution of Churches The Dr. I fear would call this Sophistry in another or at least complain that it is somewhat odly and faintly expressed But we shall consider it as it is 1. Separation from Parochial Churches because Communion in Ordinances is only to be enjoyed in such Churches as Christ hath instituted is denied by us it is so in the assertion opposed by him and I do not know whether it be laid down by him as that which we affirm or which we deny 2. There is great Ambiguity in the latter clause of separating from them because they have things repugnant unto the first institution of Churches For it is one thing to separate from a Church because it is not of divine institution that is not of that kind of Churches which are divinely instituted and another to do so because of things practised and imposed in it contrary to divine institution which is the case in hand 4. But he after saith Is not this the primary Reason of separation because Christ hath appointed unalterable Rules for the Government of his Church which are not to be observed in Parochial Churches I answer no it is not so for there may be an omission at least for a season in some Churches of some Rules that Christ hath appointed in the Government of his Church and we judge his Rules as unto Right unalterable which may not be a just cause of separation So the Church of the Jews continued a long time in the omission of the Observance of the feast of Tabernacles But the principal Reason of the Separation we defend is the practising and imposing of sundry things in the Worship of the Church not of divine institution yea in our judgment contrary thereunto and the framing of a rule of Government of mens devising to be laid on all the Members of them This is the primary Cause pleaded herein But because the Dr. proposeth a Case on those suppositions whereon he seems to lay great weight though indeed however it be determined it conduceth nothing unto his End but argues only some keenness of Spirit against them whom he opposeth I shall at large Transcribe the whole of it Let us then saith he 1. suppose that Christ hath by unalterable Rule appointed that a Church shall
Consist only of such a number of men as may meet in one Congregation so qualified and that those by entring into Covenant with each other whereof we shall treat hereafter become a Church and choose their Officers who are to Teach and Admonish and administer Sacraments and to exercise discipline by the Consent of the Congregation And let us 2 suppose such a Church not yet gathered but there lies fit matter for it dispersed up and down in several parishes 3 Let us suppose D. O. about to gather such a Church 4 Let us suppose not one thing peculiar to our Church required of these Members neither the Aerial sign of the Cross nor kneeling at the Communion c. I desire to know whether D. O. be not bound by this unalterable rule to draw these Members from Communion with Parochial Churches on purpose that they might form a Congregational Church according to Christs Institution either then he must quit these unalterable Rules and Institutions of Christ which he will never do whilst he lives or he must acknowledge that setting up a Congregational Church is the primary Ground of this Separation from our Parochial Churches c. The whole Design hereof is to prove that we do not withhold Communion from their Parochial Assemblies because of the things that are practised and imposed in them in the Worship of God and Church Rule but because of a necessity apprehended of setting up Congregational Churches I Answer 1. We know it is otherwise and that we plead the true Reason and that which our Consciences are regulated by in refraining from their Communion and it is in vain for him or any Man else to endeavour so to Birdlime our understandings by a multiplicity of Questions as to make us think we do not judge what we do judge or do not do what we know our selves well enough to do If we cannot Answer Sophismes against Motion we can yet rise up and walk 2. These things are consistent and are not capable of being opposed one to the other Namely that we refrain Communion on the Reasons alledged and thereon judge it necessary to erect Congregational Churches which we should have no occasion to do were not we excluded from Communion in Parochial Assemblies as we are 3. The Case being put unto me I answer plainly unto the Doctors last supposition whereon the whole depends that if those things which we except against as being unduely practised and imposed in Parochial Assemblies were removed and taken away I would hold Communion with them all the Communion that any one is obliged to hold with any Church and would in nothing separate from them This spoiles the whole Case But then he will say I am no Independent I cannot help that he may judge as he sees Cause for I am nullius addictus jurare in verba Magistria designing to be the Disciple of Christ alone 4. But yet suppose that in such Churches all the things excepted against being removed there is yet a defect in some unalterable Rule that Concerns the Government of the Churches that they answer not in all things the strictness laid down in the Drs first supposition although it is certain that if not all of them absolutely yet the most of them and of the most importance would be found virtually in Parochial Assemblies upon the removal of the things excepted against the Enquiry is what I would do then or whether I would not set up a Congregational Church gathered out of other Churches I Answer I tell you plainly what I would do 1. If I were joyned unto any such Church as wherein there were a defect in any of the Rules appointed by Christ for its Order and Government I would endeavour peaceably according as the Duties of my state and Calling did require to introduce the Practise and Observance of them 2. In case I could not prevail therein I would consider whether the want of the things supposed were such as to put me on the practise of any thing unlawful or cut me short of the necessary means of Edification and if I found they do not so do I would never for such defects separate or withdraw Communion from such a Church But 5. Suppose that from these defects should arise not only a real Obstruction unto Edification but also a necessity of practising some things unlawful to be Observed wherein no forbearance could be allowed I would not condemn such a Church I would not separate from it would not withdraw from Acts of Communion with it which were Lawful but I would peaceably joyn in fixed Personal Communion with such a Church as is free from such defects and if this cannot be done without the gathering of a new Church I see neither Schisme nor Separation in so doing Wherefore notwithstanding all the Drs Questions and his Case founded on as many suppositions as he was pleased to make it abides firm and unshaken that the Ground and reason of our refraining communion from Parochial Assemblies is the Practise and Imposition of things not lawful for us to observe in them And it is unduely affirmed p. 223. that upon my Grounds Separation is necessary not from the particular conditions of Communion with them but because Parochial Churches are not formed after the Congregational way For what form of Churches they have be it what it will it is after the Congregational way And it is more unduely affirmed and contrary unto the Rules of Christian Charity that this plea of ours is a necessary piece of Art to keep fair with the Presbyterian Party For as we design to keep fair as it is called with no Parties but onely so far as Truth and Christian Love require and so we design it with all Parties whatsoever so the Plea hath been always insisted on by us and was the cause of Non-conformity in multitudes of our Perswasion before they had any opportunity to Gather any Congregational Churches according to the Rule of the Gospel Such things will never help nor adorn any Cause in the Issue But he presseth the due Consideration of this Art that as I suppose they may avoid the snare of it on the Presbyterians by minding them what was done in former times in the debate of the dissenting Brethren and the setting up of Congregational Churches in those dayes For saith he Have those of the Congregational way since altered their Judgment Hath D. O. yielded that in case some termes of Communion in our Church were not insisted on they would give over Separation were not their Churches first gathered out of Presbyterian Congregations and if Presbytery had been setled upon the Kings Restauration would they not have continued in their Separation Answ. 1 There is no Difference that I know of between Presbyterians and those whom he calls Independents about particular Churches For the Presbyterians allow them to be of Divine Institution grant them the exercise of Discipline by their own Eldership in all ordinary cases and none to
be exercised in them without them or their own consent as also their Right unto the choice of their own Officers so that there could be no separation between them on that Account 2. When they begin in good earnest to reform themselves and to take away the unsufferable Conditions of Communion excepted against they may know more of my Judgment if I am alive which I do not believe I shall be as unto Separation though I have spoken unto it plainly enough already 3. It cannot be said that the Churches of the Independents were gathered out of Presbyterian Churches for the Presbyterian Government was never here established and each Party took Liberty to reform themselves according according to their principles wherein there was some difference 4. Had the Presbyterian Government been settled at the Kings Restauration by the Encouragement and Protection of the Practise of it without a rigorous Imposition of every thing supposed by any to belong thereunto or a mixture of Humane Constitutions if there had any Appearance of a Schisme or Separation continued between the Parties I do Judge they would have been both to blame For as it cannot be expected that all Churches and all Persons in them should agree in all Principles and Practises belonging unto Church Order nor was it so in the dayes of the Apostles nor ever since among any true Churches of Christ so all the Fundamental Principles of Church Communion would have been so fixed and agreed upon between them and all offences in Worship so removed as that it would have been a matter of no great Art absolutely to unite them or to maintain a firm Communion among them no more then in the dayes of the Apostles and the Primitive times in Reference to the differences that were among Churches in those dayes For they allowed distinct Communion upon distinct Apprehensions of things belonging unto Church Order or Worship all keeping the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace If it shall be asked then why did they not formerly agree in the Assemby I Answer 1. I was none of them and cannot tell 2. They did agree in my Judgment well enough if they could have thought so and farther I am not concern'd in the Difference It is therefore notorious that occasion is given unto our refraining free Communion with Parochial Churches by the unwarrantable Imposition of things not lawful for us to observe both in Church Order and Worship nor is it candid in any to deny it though they are otherwise minded as unto the things themselves His second exception is unto a saying which I Quoted out of Justice Hobarts Reports who saith We know well that the Primitive Church in its greatest purity was but voluntary Congregations of Believers submitting themselves to the Apostles and other Pastors to whom they did minister of their temporals as God did move them Hereunto with a Reflection on a dead man I know not why he replies that this is not to the purpose or rather quite overthrows my hypothesis But why so He will prove it with two Arguments The first is this Those voluntary Congregations over which the Apostles were set were no limited Congregations of any one particular Church but those Congregations over which the Apostles were set are those of which Justice Hobart speaks and therefore it is plain he spake of all the Churches which were under the care of the Apostles which he calls voluntary Congregations Answ. 1. Whereas this Argument seems to be cast into the form of a Syllogisme I could easily manifest how asyllogistical it is did I delight to contend with him or any else But 2. The Conclusion which he infers is directly what I plead for Namely that all the Churches under the care of the Apostles were Voluntary Congregations 3. There is Fallacy in that Expression no limited Congregations of any one particular Church no such thing is pretended but particular Churches are Congregations Such were all the Churches over which the Apostles were set and therefore Justice Hobart speaks of them all This then is that which he seems to oppose namely that all the Churches under the care of the Apostles were particular voluntary Congregations as Justice Hobart affirms and this is that which in the close he seemes to grant His second Argument which is no less Ambiguous no less a Rope of Sand than the former is this Those voluntary Congregations over whom the Apostles appointed Pastors after their decease were no particular Congregations in one City But those of whom Justice Hobart speaks were such for he saith they first submitted unto the Apostles and afterwards to other Pastors What then why Justice Hobart could not be such a stranger to Antiquity as to believe that the Christians in the Age after the Apostles amounted but to one Congregation in a City Answ. 1. What this is designed to prove or disprove or how it doth either of them I do not understand But I deny the proposition The Voluntary Congregations over whom the Apostles appointed Pastors were all of them particular Congregations either in one City or more Cities for that is nothing unto our purpose 2. Not to ingage Justice Hobart or his honour I do confess my self such a stranger unto Antiquity if that may be esteemed the reason of it as not to believe that the Christians in the Age after the Apostles amounted to any more than one Church or Congregation in a City and shall acknowledge my self beholding to this Reverend Author if he will give me one undoubted Instance where they so did Only let the Reader observe that I intend not Occasional meetings of any of the Church with or without their Elders which were frequent They met in those dayes in Fields in Mountains in Dens and Caves of the Earth in burying places in houses hired or borrowed in upper Rooms or Cellars whereof a large story might easily be given if it were to our present purpose Dionysius of Alexandria summs them up briefly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Field a Desert a Ship an Inn a Prison were places of our Meetings Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 22. but I speak of stated Churches with their Worship Power Order and Rule But whether there were more such Churches in any one City is a matter of Fact that shall be immediately enquired into All that I here assert and confirm from the words of Justice Hobart is that the Churches in the days of the Apostles were particular voluntary Congregations And the Dr. will find it a Difficult Task to prove that this overthrows my Hypothesis Our Author in the next place opposeth what I affirm'd of the gradual deviation of the Churches after the Apostles from the Rule of their first Institution which hath been already accounted for Sect. 4. p. 224. Upon an occasional Expression of mine about the Church of Carthage in Cyprians time he gives us a large Account of the state of the Church of Carthage at that Time wherein we are not
from the beginning However this is no part of our present contest namely whether some while after the days of the Apostles in Churches that were greatly encreased and many Elders in them there was not one chosen as at Alexandria by those Elders themselves to preside among them who in a peculiar manner was called a Bishop But if I mistake not that alone which would advantage his cause is to prove that there were in one City or any where else many not occasional Assemblies of Christians or Church Members but many stated fixed Churches with Officers of their own peculiarly related unto them entrusted with Church Power and Priviledges at least as much as he afterwards pleads to be in our Parochial Churches all under the Government of one single Bishop making up a new Church state beyond that of particular Congregations by their Relation unto him as their common Pastor This I take it is that which should have been prov'd All the difficulty wherewith our assertion is accompanyed ariseth from the multiplication of Believers and the encrease of Churches in the Apostles time or presently after For this seems to be so great as that those in one City could not continue in one Church notwithstanding the advantages of occasional Assemblies The Church of Jerusalem had 5000 in it at the same time the word grew and prevailed at Ephesus and other places whereto I shall briefly answer as hastning unto a close of this unpleasing labour I say therefore 1. Whatever difficulty may seem to be in this matter yet in point of Fact so it was there was no Church before the end of the second Century of any other species nature or kind but a particular Congregational Church only as hath been proved before let any one instance be produced of a Church of one denomination National Provincial or Diocesan or of any other kind then that which is Congregational and I will give over this contest But when a matter of Fact is certain it is too late to enquire how it might be And on this occasion I shall add that if in that space of time namely before the end of the second Century any proof or undoubted Testimony can be produced of the Imposition of the necessary use of Liturgies or of stated Ceremonies of the practise of Church discipline consistent with that now in use in the Church of England it will go a great way in the determination of the whole Controversie between us 2. The admirable prevalency of the Gospel in those days consisted principally in its spreading it self all the World over and planting seminaries for farther conversions in all Nations It did indeed prevail more in some Cities and Towns then in others in some places many were converted in others the tender of it was utterly rejected how be it it prevailed not unto the gathering of such great numbers into any Church solely as might destroy or be inconsistent with its Congregational Institution For not all not it may be half not sometimes a third Part of them who made some Profession of the Truth and attended unto the Preaching of the Word and many of whom underwent Martyrdom were admitted as compleat Members of the Church unto all the parts of its Communion Hence there were many who upon a general account were esteemed Christians and that justly where the Churches were but small 3. It doth not appear that in the next Age after the Apostles the Churches were any where so increased in number as to bear the least Proportion with the Inhaâ—itants of the Cities and Towns wherein they were The Church of Smyrna in the dayes of Polyicarpus may justly be esteemed one of the greatest in those dayes both from the Eminency of the Place and Person who was justly accounted the great Instructer of all Asia as they called him when he was carried unto the Stake But this Church giveth such an Account of it self in its Epistle unto the Churches of Pontus about the Martyrdom of Polycarpus as manifest the Church there to have been a very small number in Comparison of the multitude of the other Inhabitants so as that it was scarcely known who or what they were Euseb. lib. 4. cap. 15. So in the Excellent Epistle of the Churches of Vienna and Lyons unto the Churches of Asia and Phrygia concerning the Persecutions that befell them as they declare themselves to have been particular Churches onely so they make it evident that they bore in number no proportion unto the Inhabitants of the places where they were who could scarce discover them by the most diligent search Euseb. lib. 5. cap 1. 4. As for the Church of Hierusalem in particular notwithstanding the great number of its original Converts who probably were many of them strangers occasionally present at the Feast of Pentecost and there instructed in the knowledge of the Truth that they might in the several Countries whither they immediately returned be instruments of the propagation of the Gospel it is Certain that many years after it consisted of no greater Multitude then could come together in one place to the Mannagement of Church Affairs Acts 15.20 21. Nor is it likely that Pella an obscure place whose name probably had never been known but on this occasion was like to receive any great Multitudes nor doth Epiphanius say as our Authour pretends that they spread themselves from thence to Coelosyria and Decapolis and Basanitis For he affirmes expresly that all the Disciples which went from Hierusalem dwelt at Pella Only he says that from thence the Sect of the Nazarenes took its original which spread it self afterwards in Coelosyria Decapolis and Basanitis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking of that Sect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They dwelled all at Pella Sect. 7. p. 239. He quotes another saying of mine namely that I cannot discern the least necessity of any positive Rule or Direction in this Matter seeing the Nature of the thing and the duty of Man doth indispensibly require it And hereon he Attempts to make advantage in opposition unto another saying as he supposeth of mine Namely that the Institution of Churches and the Rules for their disposal and Government throughout the World are the same stated and unalterable from whence he makes many inferences to countenance him in his Charge of Schisme But why should we contend fruitlesly about these things had he been pleased to read a little farther on the same page he would have seen that I affirm the Institution itself to be a plain Command which considering the Nature of the duties required of men in Church Relation is sufficient to oblige them thereunto without any new Revelation unto that purpose which renders all his Queries Exceptions and Inferences of no use For I do not speak in that place of the Original Institution of Churches whose Laws and Rules are Universal and Vnalterable but our actual gathering into particular Churches for which I say the necessity of Duty is our Warrant and the
to separate from a Church thereon shall the People do it themselves are they meet are they Competent for it are they to make such a Judgement on the Doctrine of their Guides do they know what is heresie have they read Epiphanius or Binius How comes this allowance to be made unto them which else where is denied The Third is in Case Men make things indifferent necessary to Salvation and divide the Church on that account But 1. I know not which is to precede or go before their Division of the Church or the just Separation nor how they are to be distinguished but it was necessary to be so expressed 2. There are two things in such an Imposition first the practise of the things imposed Secondly the Judgement of them that impose them The former alone belongs unto them who are imposed on and they may submit unto it without a Compliance with the Doctrine as many did in the Apostles days For the Judgement of the imposers it was their own Errour and concernment only 3. Why is not the imposing of things indifferent so as to make the observation of them necessary unto mens Temporal Salvation in this World so as that the Refusal of it shall really affect the Refusers with Trouble and Ruine as just a Cause of Separation as the imposing of them as necessary unto Eternal Salvation which shall never affect them 4. This making things indifferent necessary unto Salvation and as such imposing of them on others is a thing impossible that never was nor ever can be For it is the Judgment of the Imposers that is spoken of and to judge things indifferent in themselves to be in themselves necessary to Salvation is a Contradiction If onely the Judgment of the Imposers that such things are not indifferent but necessary to Salvation be intended and otherwise the things themselves may lawfully be imposed I know not how this differs from the Imposition of indifferent things under any other pretence In his following Discourse concerning miscarriages in Churches where no Separation is enjoyned we are not at all concerned and therefore shall not observe the mistakes in it which are not a few But may there not be other Causes of peaceable withdrawing from the Communion of a Church besides these here enumerated 1. Suppose a Church should impose the Observation of Judaical Ceremonies and make their observation necessary though not to Salvation Yet unto the Order and Decency of Divine Worship It may declare them to be in themselves indifferent but yet make them necessary to be observed Or 2. Suppose a Church should be so degenerated in the Life and Conversation of all its Members that being immersed in various sins they should have only a form of Godliness but deny the power of it the Rule of the Apostle being to avoid and turn away from them 3. Suppose a Church be fallen into such decayes in Faith Love and fruits of Charity as that the Lord Jesus Christ by his word declares his Disapprobation of it and in that State refuses to reform itself and persecutes them who would reform themselves Or 4. Suppose the Ministry of any Church be such as is insufficient and unable to dispense the Word and Sacraments unto Edification so as that the whole Church may perish as unto any Relief by or from the Administration of the Ordinances of the Gospel I say in these and such other Cases a peaceable withdrawing from the Communion of such Churches is warrantable by the Rule of the Scripture SECT III. THE third Part of the Drs. Discourse he designs to examine the Pleas as he speaks for Separation And these he refers to four Heads whereof the first respects the Constitution of the Church And those which relate hereunto are four also 1. That Parochial Churches are not of Christs Institution 2. That Diocesan Churches are unlawful 3. That our National Church hath no Foundation 4. That the People are deprived of their Right in the Choice of their Pastors The first of these Namely that our Parochial Churches are not of Christs Institution he begins withal and therein I am alone called to an Account I wonder the Dr. should thus state the Question between us The meaning of this Assertion that our Parochial Churches are not of Christs Institution must be either they are not so because they are Parochial or at least in that they are Parochial But is this my judgement have I said any thing to this purpose yea he knows full well that in my judgment there are no Churches directly of divine Institution but those that are Parochial or particular Churches We are not therefore to expect much in the ensuing disputation when the state of the Question is so mistaken at the entrance If he say or intend that there are many things in their Parochial Churches observed practised and imposed on all their members in and about the Worship of God which are not of divine institution we grant it to be our judgment and part of our plea in this case But this is not at all spoken unto Wherefore the greatest part of the ensuing discourse on this Head is spent in perpetual diversions from the state of the case under consideration with an attempt to take advantage for some reflections or an appearance of success from some passages and expressions belonging nothing at all unto the merit of the cause a course which I thought so Learned a Person would not have taken in a case wherein Conscience is so nearly concerned Some mistakes occurring in it have been already rectified as that wherein he supposeth that my Judgement is for the Democratical Government of the Church as also what he alledgeth in the denyal of the gradual declension of the Primitive Churches from their first original Institution hath been examined I shall therefore plainly and directly propose the things which I assert and maintain in this part of the Controversie and then Consider what occurrs in opposition unto them or otherwise seems to be of any force towards the End in general of charging us with Schisme and they are these that follow 1. Particular Churches or Congregations with their Order and Rule are of Divine institution and are sufficient unto all the ends of Evangelical Churches I take Churches and Congregations in the same sence and notion as the Church of England doth defining the Church by a Congregation of Beleivers otherwise there may be occasional Congregations that are not stated Churches 2. Unto these Churches there is committed by Christ himself all the ordinary power and priviledges that belong unto any Church under the Gospel and of them is required the observance of all Church Duties which it is their sin to omit 3. There is no Church of any other form kind nature or constitution that is of Divine institution Things may be variously ordered in and amongst Christians or their Societies may be cast or disposed of into such respective Relations to and dependance on one another