agreed that the Pastors a the Rulers and the people the Ruled that must obey and that the peop must be governed as rational free Agents and have a Freedom from Arbitraâ—â— Government and from all Commands or Sentences that are contrary to 〈◊〉 Word of God but not a Freedom from Obedience nor from the Blessing of P storal Conduct And we are Agreed that in order to Unity the Major Vo in lawful things must be submitted to and that a Minister having enterâ—… his dissent may forbear such reproofs or censures of a Heretick or Impious ma as would break the Peace of the Church and do more harm than good becau of the peoples sinful adhering to him so be it they own not the sin it seâ—â— nor do thus ordinarily to the excluding of Discipline For then I would leaâ—… that people What farther need then of a Reconciliation in order to our Coâ—…munion If any will not take in or cast out a Member without the peopâ—â— Major Vote let them take their Liberty And if any people had rather trâ—… their Pastors and Delegates with this Care and will more acquiesce in thâ—â— Judgments till they see cause to suspect them let them also have their Libâ—â—ty we can do nothing against the peoples wills but by proposal And if the pastors and people consent in these modal or circumstantial things it little concerneth Associated Churches Let this therefore be unmentioned and we are Agreed Chap. VIII Difference VI. THE sixth Difference is whether a Pastor of one Church may do the work of a Pastor in other Churches when he hath their consent and call Some have made a stir about this and dream'd that a Pastor may Preach out of his own Church but only as a private man and therefore may not Baptize Administer the Lord's Supper or exercise Discipline in any other Church But the Learned and Sober part of the Dissenters are become Consenters in the most of this so that here is little work for a Reconcilement For they confess that Ministers may as Ministers Preach and Administer the Sacraments to other Churches Indeed they say that this is only Charitativè not Authoritativè Herein they mistake For though such have not a stated Authority over another Church yet have they a temporary Authority as they are called For he that hath the Call and Power of Office and a Call pro tempore to exercise that Office hath Authority to exercise it and doth exercise an Authority for the Office essentially is an Authority But every true Minister of Christ that pro tempore is called to the Ministerial work in another Church hath an Office which is Authority and a call to exercise it Therefore But saith Mr. Norton p. 83. Hence it would follow either that there are occasional and partial Ministers pro tempore or that the same man is the fixed Minister of many Churches at once or that he is not the Minister of that Church where yet he hath Ministerial Authority Ans. None of all these will follow But only this that he that is either a stated Minister in the Church Universal or also a fixed Pastor of a particular Church may also be the temporary Pastor of another particular Church As a fixed Physicion of one Hospital or Schoolmaster of one School may upon a Call both Charitativè Authoritativè be for a Day or a Week the Physicion of another Hospital or the Schoolmaster of another School It is a contradiction to say He may exercise his Office and not Authoritatively Obj. But saith Mr. N. the Minister of this Church is not the Minister of another Church by the constitution of the Holy Ghost by whom every Minister is tyed to one certain Flock Ans. 1. A great Errour There should yet be general Ministers in the Church that should be itinerant and no more fixed where the Churches state so requireth it than Paul Barnabas Apollo Titus Timothy and abundance more then were Your own Argument is Pag. 80 81. Ex analogia Potestatis Ministrorum erga alias Ecclesias cum Potestatè Ministeriali erga omnes gentes sive omnem Creaturam Si Ministri Ordinarii virtute instituti habent Potestatem Ministerialem non Ecclesiasticam modo debito erga omnem creaturam habent aliquam Potestatem Ministerialem Ecclesiasticam modo debito erga omnem Ecclesiam At c. What need we more Is not Potestas Ministerialis Authority Then I know not what Authority is Authority is either Rational ex virtute aestimatione donorum or it is Imperial or Official which in all subordinate Officers is Ius agendi actus ejus Officii Ministerial Power is Ius Ministrandi Ministerial Authority is Ius Ministrandi Therefore he that hath Ministerial Power hath Ministerial Authority 2. No Minister is so tyed by the Holy Ghost to one certain Flock any more than one Schoolmaster or Physicion as not to exercise his Office by Authority pro tempore in another Flock when he hath a Call Charity and Authority go together Charity obligeth him to exercise his Office that is his Authority The rest of the Objections there an ordinary Reader may answer without help But yet here is nothing to hinder our Communion For 1. They grant us in Substance what we desire that is the temporary exercise of the Ministerial Office to the World or to other Churches according to their Capacities 2. If yet there be any difference in Principles let them that think Ministers have no Power out of their Congregation practice accordingly and stay at home Let them give us our Liberty in this and take theirs and the matter need not hinder our Communion Chap. IX Difference VII THE seventh Difference is about the Power of a particular Church to exercise all Government and Church Ordinances within it self without Subordination to Synods or any other as extrinsick Ecclesiastical Superiour Governours This is Pleaded for by the Independents in ordinary cases whence Mr. Cotton owns the Name of Independency Keys P. 29. 53. saith he A Church of a particular Congregation consisting of Elders and Brethren and walking in the Truth and Peace of the Gospel as it is the first subject of all Church Power needful to be exercised within it self So it is Independent upon any other Church or Synod for the exercising of the same Some of the Episcopal and Presbyterians deny them this and affirm that Synods are a Superiour Power and that particular Congregations without the lower sort of Synods called Classes may not Excommunicate and that in an ordinary Regimental order Congregations are under the Government of Synods and consequently say the Episcopal of the Heads of those Synods But the more moderate both Episcopal and Presbyterians hold that Synods oblige directly but gratia Unitatis Communionis Ecclesiarum and not directly by a Superiour Governing Power So Bishop Usher profest his Judgment to me and that a particular Bishop or Church was not subject to a Synod as their Superiour Governour
and Betrayers of the Gospel and our Liberties to the Enemies by our obstinate Divisions and Contentions If the worst be supposed of a resolved distance which we dare not be so uncharitable as to suppose we may yet expect an Agreement to such terms as are here after offered to the Anabaptists If yet it be insisted on by any that by holding Communion with us in Synods and being there responsible for offences you shall be proceeded against to a Non-Communion I further answer 1. Will you choose a Non-Communion to escape it yea to escape a possibility of it And shall it be by your own act and guilt lest it should be by other mens 2. Again I tell you they can declare their avoiding your Communion whether you Associate or not And will have the more occasion when you wilfully divide and refuse to be responsible than when you live among them as Brethren in Charitable Correspondencies and Communion and walk in order And there will be far more probability that things will be carried on against you in their Synods in your absence than in your presence when you speak for your selves 3. They will allow you in any of the ten fore-allowed Cases to take Members out of other Parishes and Churches and also out of all those Parishes that have no tolerable Pastors or where the People have any warrantable cause to depart yea in case the person will but remove his Habitation they will not contend though he do it causelesly And surely the Publick Order and Peace of the Churches is of greater moment than the Riches and worldly Accommodations of a particular man and therefore in most cases reason it self will tell us that it is fitter such incur some incommodity by removing their Habitations than that the Church incurr dammage by their breaking Order and crossing all the Scripture Presidents where men were ever Members of the Church that was in the Places where they lived or next to them and there none but Hereticks had Antichurches or separated Assemblies Moreover if you do disorderly receive any Members out of other Churches the Brethren associated may by Evidence of Reason satisfie and reduce you If they do not so they will understand on what account you do it and so if it be but on some tolerable Mistake or Infirmity they will be satisfied in the disowning your Sin without disowning your Communion But if it be on an intolerable ground and such as signifieth you to be uncapable of their Communion as if you â—hould cherish Heresie or Ungodliness and cast out men for sound Belief and Piety they can but in the extremity declare you uncapable of their Communion and warn your People to take heed of you and so they can do whether you associate or not So that I may conclude 1. That difference in Practice will necessitate a Toleration of Postors taking Members in certain cases out of other Parishes 2. But differences in any Principles between the several Parties will occasion none if we could exactly practise our own Principles 1. That difference in Practice will is evident 1. Because it is impossible that all men of the same Parties should have the same degrees of Prudence Moderation Charity Zeal c. which will make some to exclude abundance of persons that others of the same Party will admit 2. Because if the Pastor should be moderate he cannot promise that his Congregation will be so And if they too rigorously refuse any Members he is not able alone to retain them 3. And if abundance of tolerable Christians be refused there is no reason that for the rigour of others they should wholly be deprived of the Communion of the Church and the Ordinances of God I easily foresee that whoever was first guilty of it it is the more Charitable Churches that will be put most upon the receiving of Members out of other Parishes For the uncharitable will take perhaps an Hundred and leave out and reject two Hundred of their Parishioners that should be accepted And then the next adjoyning Church cannot conscionably refuse their Entertainment But let us have these three Points at least agreed on 1. That the Neighbour Pastors and Churches may be consulted with and heard before such rejections be made or at least afterward upon the Complaint of the rejected 2. That those that are refused in one Parish joyn with the Publick Church in the next and that without necessity they do not either draw into private Churches nor yet joyn themselves to publick Churches so distant as are uncapable of holding such Communion with them as Church-ends require 3. And that the Neighbour Pastors do not promiscuously receive all that are rejected by the Publick Pastor at home but only such as upon just tryal are found fit Q. But what shall the people of the Parish do that are put upon such straits as to joyn with another Parish far off because they have a Minister at home that refuseth them as possibly an Anabaptist that requireth them to be rebaptized or an uncharitable rejecter of all except such as have voluble Tongues c. Answ. 1. He that is chosen to be the Pastor is chosen to the Pastoral work and therefore is trusted with the oversight and government of the Church which must not be taken out of the Pastors hands because of the Miscarriages of some 2. But this must be prevented in the choice Patrons must choose none but Prudent Pious men that will not intolerably wrong the Church And the Approvers must let no others in But if Patrons or People choose such men and the Approvers let them in there 's no Remedy but shift for your selves unless you can get them out again 3. If therefore they be so grosly injurious procure the Magistrates to punish such for maleadministration For to them it doth belong Though it should be a very gross and proved abuse that must warrant them to punish the Pastors Let the Cause be heard and the Commissioners have Power to remove them if after warning they are uncurable 4. And if the Magistrates will not do so but keep them in all that the Neighbour Churches can do is to hear the Case and if it be gross and intolerable to disclaim Communion with them and receive such Christians as the uncharitable do reject This is all that can be done But the best way is to be careful in the Choice For it is an intolerable course that some are harping on that Pastors should not be trusted with Church Guidance and Administrations that is to do the work of Pastors any further than Magistrates make them Rules because they may possibly be too imprudent or injurious to the People Surely as long as the Patrons or People choose and the Magistrate Guards the Door and also may punish or reject maleadministrators as the Cause requireth there needs no more 2. And that difference in Principles between the Parties as thus principled cannot be here a cause to break us I
all this be done by them 3. But yet that it 's one thing to admit them into the number of the Adult Members of the Church Universal as the Eunuch Acts 8. and others were by Baptism and another thing to admit them into a particular Church also And that the consent to Christianity is it that is necessary to the first and the consent to the Duty of a particular Member in that Church is necessary only to the Second which supposeth also the First 4. That there is great difference between a Baptized Person that needs but Confirmation or Repentance and a Converted â—nfidel that 's to be Baptized It is meet to have some Testimony of the Life of the former because he is in Covenant already But the Life of the latter is not to be supposed to be upright but ungodly and therefore we may not require of him a Testimony of his upright Life but a Confession and Lamentation of his ungodly Life with a Consent and Resolution for new Obedience Upon this much the Apostles Baptized their Converts without delay to try their Lives 5. And there 's difference to be put between what is necessary ad esse ad bene esse Necessitate medii praecepti And the Profession of Christianity that is of present Faith and Repentance and this by any tolerable intimation or signification is all that is necessary to the Being of such Adult Members And that the Testimony of his good life is only necessary when it may be sought to the performance of our Duty and the purity of the Church If we admit a Man of another Countrey without Testimony or Tryal upon his meer profession or if we do so through haste or negligence or multitude of Persons that we have to deal with in populous places this doth not nullifie his Membership Nor yet if we admit him upon a dark and less express Confession And 6. It is a Mans Profession that is his Title condition to Visible Membership and his Life is but a Confirmation of that and where there is not opportunity of enquiring after Mens Lives it is sufficient even in point of Duty that we receive his Profession if no Man will bring witness of a Life so vicious as may invalidate that Profession 7. And I think we may take it for granted that Mr. Norton's Second demand of a Declaration of the Experimental work of Faith or substance of Conversion is satisfied in the Profession of Faith and Repentance or in our renewing our Baptismal Covenant For doubtless all the substance of Conversion is contained in these He that professeth that he believeth in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost renouncing the Flesh the World and the Devil or that he believeth and repenteth and is willing to live a holy Life doth profess Conversion The Sum of all is this which we are agreed in A Credible Profession of Christianity that is of Faith and Repentance or of Holiness is that which is the Title-condition to our Membership in the Church Universal and its Priviledges And A Credible profession of Consent to be a Member of this particular Church added to the former is the condition of our Right to admittance into such a Church And a careful Pastor will and should consider how Mens lives do answer their profession But if nothing be brought from the Life to invalidate it the profession it self must be accepted And therefore if no such Omissions or Commissions are proved against the person that desireth our Communion as are of sufficient weight to prove that the persons profession is Incredible it is to be received because every Man is supposed to be better acquainted with his own Heart than the Church is or can be And every Man is to be supposed Credible till he can be proved Incredible by Evidences that in foro Ecclesiae are satisfactory Especially when Men have to do with a Heart-searching God and their Everlasting Life or Death lyeth at the stake and when the holy Life that they engage themselves to live is so contrary to Flesh and Blood and seldom are there times so good in which it is not reproached at least by the ungodly we have reason fide humand to believe Mens profession in such a case And as God will have Mens Salvation or Damnation lye more upon their own choice than upon any other Mans so is it his wise and gracious Order that their Church Mercies or Judgments their standing in the Church or being out of it shall lye more upon their own Chusing or Refusing than on the Churches or any others And therefore if Men dissemble in their profession the Church is blameless and it is themselves that bear the blame and suffering And so if they keep out themselves or force the Church by their Impenitency to cast them out But if the Church should keep out Men that would come in that do not wilfully refuse Gods Terms these persons would lay the blame on the Church and say Lord I would fain have entred but could not be received Let any Man read Mr. Norton and such others and he will allow me to conclude that de lege in this point we are agreed even in two words that A Credible Profession is the Condition or Qualification requisite in the Adult Yea and we are agreed also what are the Qualifications that must make a profession Credible Viz. that it be or seem to us to be tolerably Understanding Deliberate Free or Voluntary Serious and not Invalidate by contradictory words or practice sufficiently proved And for the matter of it we are agreed that it must be a profession of all the Essentials of Christianity and that it must be a Consent to present and not only to a distant future holiness Even as a promise to become a Husband or Wife to another a Month hence is not Marriage but a promise of Marriage We are agreed also that Extremes in the Execution of this Rule must be cautelously avoided As on one side that we do not take that to be a profession that is none and that we take not that for Credible that is Incredible and that we take not that for Understood that is not tolerably understood or that for deliberate voluntary or serious that is not so or appeareth not so And that we be not careless when it may be done in inquiring how Men have kept their Baptismal Covenant and what their Lives are before we Confirm them or Approve them for the Communion of the Adult And that we refuse not to hear what just exceptions can be brought against them Lest we frustrate Church Order and Ordinances and nullifie Discipline and pollute the Church And on the other side we are in the Doctrine agreed that Hypocrites will be in the Visible Church and that we must not refuse those that have the least knowledge of the Essentials though they are not able in the Congregation to express it nor privately in any but broken and unhandsom
Chap. V. Difference III. Of the Extent of a particular Church THE third Point wherein they seem to differ is about the Extent of a particular Political Church viz. Whether it be a single Congregation or divers Congregations Whether the Ecclesia Prima or a particular Church of the first Generation as distinct from a Combination of Churches should be no more than can meet in One place and hold personal Communion in the Worship of God Here is an appearance of some difference but really none that will find a Reconciler work Some Presbyterians distinguish indeed between a Worshipping Church and a Governed Church and they would have a single Congregation to be one Worshipping Church but many conjoyned in their Pastors to be the first or lowest Governing Church But that is but in cases of necessity when there are not Elders enough in the single Worshipping Church So that really both Parties are agreed 1. That a particular Church may consist of One single Congregation if it be but furnished with more than one Elder for the work of Government Though for my own part I am quite out of doubt that where one man only is the Pastor or Governour of a Church that man only may Govern that Church and do the work of a Pastor to that Church 2. And they are agreed that a Church that doth not or cannot ordinarily meet in one place may yet be a true particular Church In times of Persecution when the Church dare not publickly appear or hath no capacious Rooms to meet in but are forced to meet dispersedly in Houses it may not only be lawful but most convenient for some that meet in one House and some in another and some in a third a fourth a fifth to be all united in the same Pastors that shall visit them severally as they see cause and have opportunity and rule them all And in a well ordered Church there is none denyeth but that in less Publick Meetings the Church may be distributed into several Houses and that the Aged Sick or Lame or any that by distance cannot frequently come to the same most Publick Meeting may yet have Chappels of Ease or be allowed to meet in Houses rather than not at all This all agree in And I think few Presbyterians if any will deny that it is most convenient regular and suitable to the Ends of a particular Church which is Personal Communion in Worship and Holy Order that where it can be procured the whole Church except the Sick or Lame or necessarilyhindered may frequently if not most usually meet in one Assembly So that either here is no work for a Reconciler or a very easie work For the Presbyterians say that a particular Church May consist of one Congregation and I believe they will say that ordinarily it is most fit and the Independents say It Must consist but of one Congregation or as many as May meet together for Personal Communion in Worship if they have Liberty but that this is not Essential to the Church Either then here is no Difference or if there be it is thus reconciled in a word The Presbyterians May be shall yield to the Independents Must be The Licet to the Oportet Secure them but of more than one Elder in a Church and I dare warrant you that all the sober Moderate Presbyterians shall readily and heartily yield to this They have no conceit that there Must needs go many Congregations to make a particular Political Church If any Presbyterians refuse to condescend so far for Reconciliation another easie remedy is at hand Let each have Liberty to hold that Church which in the extent is suited to their Judgment Let them that needs must have a Church of many Congregations hold it if the people do consent as few will so they will faithfully do the Pastoral work If they will joyn three or four Parishes together as the lowest Governed Church let them have their Liberty exercising just Discipline in them But let others also have their Liberty that think it meeter if not necessary that the Church be but of one Congregation The distance and quality of people may very much alter the case in this point In places where four Parishes at great distance would afford but enough for one particular Church if any such Parishes be it may be the more tolerable to have ordinary Meetings in the several Parishes for Worship and Discipline administred and sometime the Lord's Supper in a fuller meeting of all the Church But I hope we are in no necessity that this should be an ordinary case But Liberty in these cases may well be granted Chap. VI. Difference IV. THE fourth Point of Difference is Whether a particular Church hath Power in it self to Ordain and Impose hands on their chosen Pastors This Difference is easily Reconciled For 1. The Presbyterians hold that regularly it is fittest that the Pastors of divers Churches conjunct do Ordain because of the Interest and Relation which they suppose each Minister hath to the Church Catholick yet withal they deny not but he hath a true Ordination that is ordained by more than one Pastor of the same Church 2. Though they deny and justly that Imposition of hands in Ordination belongeth to the People yet they judge not an irregularity in that Ceremony of force to nullifie the calling of the Pastor 3. If a man that is duely elected and qualified be in Possession of the Ministry without a Regular just Ordination as if it were but by Ruling Elders or by one such with the people though such an Ordination is not to be it self approved of yet being upon a Doctrinal mistake we may well hold Communion with such Churches leaving the guilt of their Errour on themselves when we cannot remedy it 4. The Congregational Brethren hold that in case they have no Officers in that Church the Counsel and Help of other Pastors may and ordinarily ought to be made use of and that ordinarily they are not to be held true Pastors that be not Ordained by true Pastors and that in a constituted Church the Act of Ordination belongeth to the Presbyters and that the multitude confer not the Power of the Keys but Christ immediately And that the counsel of Neighbour Pastors is requisite not only to a weak Church because of their insufficiency to Judge but also for the safety of a well furnished Church by the Amplitude of Advice and in all Churches for the Communion of Churches And I think they grant it Lawful though not Necessary that these Neighbor Pastors lay on hands as well as counsel This much being Doctrinally agreed on our Practical Agreement is easie thus 1. Let the Doctrinal point of the Necessity of more Pastors to Ordain be let alone and left to each Mans Liberty it being no Article of our Creed nor a Credendum of absolute necessity and seeing the Congregational party hold that more from Neighbour Churches May
Work of God But they would have bona bene God's Work done in God's Order On these Conditions we allow Private men to Preach 1. If they do it but ex Charitate and pretend not to the Ministerial Office 2. And if they do it occasionally and not as men separated to that work as their Calling for then they become Ministers indeed while they disclaim it in Name 3. If they do it not needlesly to a proud ostentation of their parts but only when Abler Men or Ministers are not to be had or else on some urgent weighty cause 4. If they make not themselves the Judges of their own fitness but expect the Approbation of the judicious faithful concordant Ministers that know them 5. If they undertake no more than they can perform and suppose not themselves fitter than they are and so run not beyond their Knowledge nor dishonour not the Work of God 6. If they thrust not themselves into any Church to Preach without a Call nor ordinarily without the Pastors consent 7. If they do it not unseasonably when by offending they are likely to do more hurt than good 8. If in the manner season and continuance they submit to the Guidance of the Pastors of the Church if it be more than ordinary Teaching and not such as every able Master of a Family may there do With these Cautions we grant that Private men may Preach Many Episcopal Divines grant it And the Presbyterians ordinarily permit it in their Expectants that are trained up for the Ministery A Maid begun the Conversion of the Iberians by Conference And interlocutory Preaching is truly Preaching Edesius and Frumentius converted the Indians Alexander Bishop of Ierusalem and Theoctistus of Caesaria maintained Origene's Teaching while he was a Private man and that in the Church before the Bishops And when Demetrius of Alexandria reprehended them affirming it to be an unknown case that a Layman should preach in the presence of a Bishop they gainsay him and produce the Examples of Neon a Bishop that required Evelpius to teach and of Celsus that set Paulinus to preach at Iconium and of Aâ—â—icus that set Theodorus to teach at Synnadorum And saith Dr. Fulke Demetrius himself doth seem to allow that when no Bishop was present a Layman might preach Euseb. Hist. li. 6. c. 20. But that every proud unworthy Man and every seducing Heretick should preach yea and thrust himself into other Mens Charges or that any should preach besides the forementioned Rules this we deny and take it for a dangerous Usurpation But are we not agreed in this Hear and Judge Mr. Cotton so downright denieth ordinary private Men to Prophesie interpreting 1 Cor. 14. 31. of extraordinarily Gifted Prophets of which see his Keys pag. 20 21. that Mr. Goodwin and Mr. Nye thought meet to signifie some Dissent Pref. p. 6. And yet they grant that this must be performed by private Men 1. Only Occasionally not in an ordinary Course 2. By Men of such Abilities as are fit for Office 3. And not assuming this of themselves but judged such by those that have the power and so allowed and designed to it And 4. So as their Doctrine be subjected for the judging of it in an especial manner to the Teaching Elders of that Church And I think that this is enough to signifie that here we shall have no cause of a breach with them Mr. Norton speaks to the same purpose pag. 123 124 125. and joins with Mr. Cotton in denying Prophesie to private Men and expounding 1 Cor. 14. of extraordinarily Gifted Prophets only In this therefore Doctrinally we agree 2. But the second seemeth the more dangerous difference That their Churches should presume to send abroad Preachers not in Office for the Conversion of Souls by setting them apart to that work and directing or allowing them to be stated Ordinary Teachers Their excuses are that Pastors are proper to particular Churches and it is not into Churches but Parishes that they send them not to Rule or Teach a Church but to Convert Souls and gather Churches Ans. But 1. It is not your calling Parishes no Churches that makes or proves them none You are not the Judges when they profess themselves Churches If others send Men to preach in your Churches it will not excuse them with you if they face you down that they are no Churches and therefore they may preach in them 2. But suppose they were all Heathens you have never yet proved that to be a stated Preacher for their Conversion is not to be a proper Ministerial Officer Contrarily 1. In the days of the Apostles and all their helpers it was part of the Office of a Minister yea and of the chief Ministers to be stated Preachers for the Conversion of unbelievers and gathering Souls to Christ But the Office of the Ministry is now the same as then Therefore 2. To go and Teach and Disciple the Nations is as true a part of the Ministers Commission as to teach the Church Matth. 28. 19. Therefore it is not common to private Mâ—n 3. Ordinary Baptizing is no work for private Men Therefore not preaching The reason of the consequence is 1. Because they are conjoyned in the Minsterial Commission Matth. 28. 19. 2. Because if Pastors go not abroad the World with these private Men to preach to Infidels then when they have converted any they must be unbaptized till Pastors can come to them Which is contrary to all Scripture example that Baptism should be so long delayed after Conversion ordinarily 4. To be separated to the Gospel of God is a chief part of the description of a Minister by Office Rom. 1. 1. But these private Preachers are by the Churches separated to the Gospel of God by right or by wrong therefore they are made Ministers by Office Indeed the first object of the true Ministerial Office in order of nature is the uncalled World and the calling of them is as Eminent a part of their Office as preaching to a Church This is the most Eminent Evangelizing to declare the Glad-tydings of Salvation to the World And this is the preaching that requireth sending Rom. 10. On this work were the Twelve and the Seventy sent on this work specially did the Apostles lay out themselves And not only they but Apollo Luke Mark Timothy Titus Silas and abundance of the chiefest Ministers of Christ. But yet we have no matter to excuse a Division or Alienation from this Difference For 1. I cannot prove it a Difference between the Parties For I know not that the Congregational Party have owned and espoused the Opinion which I here oppose though some particular persons do And therefore I do not charge it on them 2. If they did yet Infidels are so far from us that irregular endeavours to Convert them will be no matter of a breach And were we nearer them we might leave others to practise according to their Judgments as long as we are not guilty of the
Error 3. They do not pretend to sorce themselves into our Parish Churches ordinarily against his will that is the allowed Teacher there 4. While they do in Name disclaim Ordaining them they actually Ordain them For they set them apart to the Office of the Ministry and it is Pastors that do it And this is the substance of Ordination Imposition of Hands is but the Investing Ceremony And if they say that A stated Preacher is no Officer that makes him not to be none And if they say that they Ordain him not when they Approve and Appoint him by an Instrument to that Office that makes it not to be no Ordaining no more than if they should Appoint Men to a Pastoral Charge in one of their own Churches and say It is no Office or Ordination 5. And when the peoples consent is afterward added the Man is more fully separated to the Work 6. But however as long as they allow us our liberty of Ordination and thrust none upon our Communion as Pastors that are no Pastors we have no pretence to make this a stop to our Communion Let us close together and pass this by and God will further inform us and dispel our darkness when we walk together in holy Love and Peace Chap. XI Difference IX THE Ninth seeming Difference is about our Parishes in England whether they are true Churches of Christ or not But here is little or no difference that is stood to whatever any particular persons may think it is not a difference between the parties For 1. It is not desired of them to grant that a Parish as a Parish that is the people yea the Christians inhabiting such a space of ground is a Church It 's possible they may be of many Churches or of none but the Universal 2. Nor is it desired that they take every Member of the Parish no nor every Hearer for a Member of the Church Men of several Churches or of no Church may live in the Parish and hear together 3. Nor are they desired to take any Parish for a true Political Church that hath not a true Pastor with a competent number of professed Christians joined together for personal Communion in Gods Worship But that our ordinary Parishes in England that have true Ministers are true Churches is so familiarly granted by the Congregational party that to recite their words seems needless And therefore they utterly disclaim separating from us as no true Churches 1. That our want of a Church Covenant nullifieth not these Churches I told you before they grant because our consent is our Covenant And our ordinary practice tolerably signifieth that consent Saith Mr Norton p. 21. Siuna externa fidei professione veritatis sanctitatis praxi eodem baptismate uniantur eundem publicum cultum uno in loco frequentent iisdem inspectoribus Ecclesiae subsint c. See the place where he acknowledgeth this a Church without an Explicit Covenant 2. And that the impiety of our Parishes or other incapacity of the Members is not such as to nullifie our Churches they confess Because a good Church may have some bad Members And where the greater number are bad the Pastor and the better smaller part may denominate the Church and it may be true though polluted What Doctrinal and Practical Corruptions were in the Churches of Corinth Galatia and divers of the Asian Churches Rev. 2. and 3. is so plain and hath been so often mentioned that it 's needless to recite the Texts Saith Mr. Norton 28 29. Immo tantum abest ut ob defectum foederis expliciti salva vel ungulae religione in rebus Iesu Christi ullas Congregationes ex Ecclesiarum albo expungamus ut Caetus multò graviora passos essentialibus Dei gratia adhuc in tuto positis tanquam non Ecclesias judicare salvâ conscientiâ nullos posse sanctè testemur Distinguendum inter Ecclesiam puram impuram impurissimam nullam Fundamentalia sive Essentialia sunt materia forma Ecclesiae particularis Materia sunt homines profitentes Doctrinam salutaris fidei Forma est mutuus consensus politicus ad incedendum in illa fide vel verbis vel factis modo aliquo visibiliter significatus Adeo ut non sufficit subitanea aliqua conjunctio sanctae communionis exercitium ad Ecclesiam constituendam nisi constantia illa accedat saltem quoad intentionem quae statum adfert Corporis Membrorum in spirituali quadam politia Qualem consensum nos foedus vocare jam toties diximus As this proveth our Parishes true Churches so that greater corruptions than the Vices of some even Fundamental Errors in the Church it self doth not presently destroy the Church is his Opinion and Parker's cited by him Ibid. saith he Neque tamen Ecclesiam errores fundamentales statim destruunt donec eis addatur contumacia in foro exteriori Ecclesia in fundamento aberrans tamdiu manet Ecclesia quamdiu non est pertinax Certainly here is as large a judgment of Charity as we can reasonably expect and so large as without some distinction will be liable to controversie We easily confess that most of our Churches need much Reformation and that all in our Parishes are not Church Members But yet I may well suppose that we are Agreed that those of them that have true Pastors are true Churches and that this is the case of our Parishes ordinarily or very many at least yea some such Dissenters think that they may be true Churches without Pastors so that here between the parties there is no disagreement whatever particular persons hold Many are more afraid lest a great many Parishes should be Made no true Churches in a Political sense by setting over them such as are no true Ministers than be proved none before they are made None But I see no danger of this while we have liberty of Election and Ordination Chap. XII Difference X. THE Tenth Controversie is about 1. Taking Members out of other Churches 2. And separating from the Parish Churches by gathering out of them a select number to be a distinct Church And here there is a Practical Difference to our woe But in order to Reconcilement I should hope that I might suppose our Agreement in all the other points of Difference to be sufficient and that being satisfied in those the Brethren that have been for withdrawing from our Churches will be satisfied to join with us for their Reformation and not do as they have some of them done For we have therefore come as near them as we can in the rest that they might have no just occasion to depart from us And if that yet they will depart when the offence is removed then it would be as if they should say We are against Concord and Unity as such And our judgment for Division as such that is for Dividing without cause When we have answered all that our Brethren alledge for their withdrawing we may expect that
Young Men exalt themselves over the Faith of their Ancients 9. Some are sent to their Graves frustrate of their hopes we being in a way to admit no more in many years than were admitted by the Apostles in one day 10. To grieve such as ought to be comforted to defame such as deserve honour to judge one another for infirmities is unjust Rom. 14. The Apostle thought it just to think well of all Phil. 1. 17 c. The Apostles were diligent and faithful in directing and exhorting and rebuking And why are they then so silent in point of admission Yea when the Churches were corrupted and pestered with corrupt Members such as made their Bellies their Gods Phil. 3. Jude 4. 1 Cor. 15. and 13. Surely admission hath never been deemed in the Churches so momentous as with us And yet we commit it to the dissident and multiformons fancies of Members without a Rule The Apostles were never acquainted with those Questions How when where and whereby and by whom Conversion was wrought The Church is a tender Mother Cant. 7. and speedily embraceth her Infant by admission into her Arms and layeth it to her Breasts of consolations Experience telleth us that a Man will not easily make Protestations before God and subject himself to Discipline unless it be resolved with him If it be resolved he shall be saved Happy is he that is resolved to slee from the wrath to come to the Ark to Zâ—ar to the Cities of Refuge And open we the Gate readily without many expostulations to rescue him from the avenger of Blood Yea the way is to be made easie to encourage him to come We must not have such a Rule of admission as may in an ordinary way disinherit Saints of their Right and Priviledges in the Kingdom of God So far Mr. Noyes 3. We crave and expect our Brethrens consent that we may not have the Gospel hindered through the Land by unnecessary sinful private Antichurches That every Town or City where are Men professing Godliness may not be as a pitcht Field and holy Exercises turned into Contendings nor Christian Assemblies turned into Schools of War or scolding places Let us not be many Masters lest we receive the greater condemnation The wisdom from above is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated c. where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work This wisdom descendeth not from above but is earthly sensual devilish Iam. 3. Let us agree then to do what lyeth in our power that the Churches may be reduced to the Primitive patterns that met all in One place and there were of one Heart and Soul Where find you in all the Scriptures that there were two distinct Churches especially distinguished or divided by differences in one City and that when for the number they might have joyned in one Where find you that the worst Church had any good men that separated from it into a distinct Church in that place Is Scripture our common Rule I beseech you then be able well to resolve these Questions before you venture in your practice to contradict the word If we drive you from our Churches causelessly the Shame be on us But if you causelessly depart into Antichurches the blame shall lye on you Do not stagger and confound our poor People by shewing them in each Town Minister against Minister and Church against Church and entice not young Novices into an opinionative Religiousness and draw not the Nation from the Power of Godliness and Practice of Charity into doting about Questions 4. For order sake let Parishes be the ordinary bounds of Churches not so as if all in the Parish are therefore of the Church but so as that ordinarily we take none out of others Parishes Let us not do it without just cause nor do it when it will tend more to publick hurt than any persons good can compensate If you could prove Parishes no Churches yet they that Preach to them for their Conversion caeteris paribus are fittest to be their Guides when they are converted Tell us if you can wherever you found one instance in Scripture or the Primitive times of one Soul that forsook the Church that was Congregated in the City of his Habitation and was a Member of any other Church in a place where he dwelt not Except the Hereticks that Iude saith did separate themselves being sensual having not the spirit whose manner it was to forsake the Assemblies Heb. 10. 25. Cohabitation is requisite to the Ends of Churches even the exercise of Communion and the offices of Members one towards another How can we watch over men that live out of our reach How know we what their conversation is But especially when a Parish hath a faithful Minister that undertaketh to prove the Members that you receive to be part of his Pastoral Charge or Church it will no more warrant any man irregularly to receive them because he affirms that it is no Church or they no Members than such an Affirmation concerning your own Churches or Members will warrant others to receive your Members 5. And that justice may be exercised and order observed let no Member remove till he have sought the Consent of the Church where he is or heard them give their Reasons against it And let none be received from another Church or Parish but either upon Communicatory Letters or Certificates or else after a just discussion of the Cause with the Church or Teachers from whom they do withdraw 6. And as it is agreeable to our several Principles and the great thing that is now desired that we may all correspond in Brotherly Associations and have Synods at fit Seasons for the Communion of the Churches that are link'd together let us there be Responsible not as to our Governours but as to Associated Brethren and Churches for our Actions that are of Publick offence or of which we shall be there accused and in particular for this of taking Members out of other Churches that the Cause may have an equal hearing 7. Or if any of you shall refuse to meet in constant Synods yet do this much at least Let your Churches and ours be so far Consociate as to Own each other for true Churches though we take the Liberty to disown any notable Distemper that we may see each other guilty of and let Communicatory Letters be necessary for any that be received from one Church to another unless in special cases And deny not to appear at least on such an extraordinary occasion at a Synod to satisfie the Churches when you are accused 8. And let us agree on such Rules for the peaceable management of our remaining Differences as are necessary to the Security of the common Truths and the common cause of Christianity and Piety which we own that we hinder not God's Work and harden not the Ungodly and weaken not each others hands and prove not at last the unwise Destroyers of the Church
But if practically any of us shall either slander any particular Church to be No Church or shall use it as no Church the case must be heard and judged of in our Churches and Associations 10. We are Agreed that no Member should forsake a Church and be received into another without sufficient Reason to be given to the Church that he forsaketh if they require it And that much less should any part of a Church make an unnecessary Separation from the rest and become a distinct Church by themselves And we are Agreed that private Antichurches I mean separated Assemblies set up against the publick Assemblies and as Rivals drawing persons to themselves and keeping up Faction and Contention in the place should be carefully avoided by us all unless there were a certain Necessity of such Separations We are Agreed also that no publick Pastors or Churches should refuse the Communion of any of their Neighbours that are Credible Professors of Faith and Repentance and Holiness of Life much less should they cast off the greatest part of their Parishes that are such And yet we are Agreed that there are several cases in which Persons may withdraw from Churches or for those of one Parish to join with a Church in another Parish though the bounds of our Habitations are usually meet to be observed for the bounding of our Churches not that all in the Parish be therefore of the Church but that ordinarily none be of the Church that is not in the Parish Let us therefore put only the necessary Generals into the Form of our Agreement and leave the particular cases of any that shall be accused of any violalation thereof to be heard at the Synods of the Associations Where if the Accused will appear they may have a Brotherly hearing if not the case may be judged according to the Evidence that shall be given in and the Associated Brethren proceed accordingly in admonishing the Offenders and holding or not holding Communion with them and declaring this The yet Briefer Sum of our Agreement is 1. To avoid Unnecessary Separations and Contentions 2. To hold an Ordinary course in Synods for the Communion of Churches and strengthning each other for the work of God For the attainment of these we must yield as far as Lawfully we may in lesser things But to deny us these viz. Union and Communion and Peace is to-deny us our end and all Yet Note that it is not our Intention to impose upon all others all points that these two parties are agreed in nor to put all their Agreements into our Form of Concord as if we regarded Agreement with no others For instance both parties are Agreed of the Divine Institution of meer Ruling Elders But so are not all others that are fit for their Communion And therefore let that point be left out to the liberty of each Church So both parties are Agreed that the Moderators or Presidents of the Associated Synods should rather in point of convenience at least be temporary than stated and that they should have no Negative Voice in Ordination But others that are fit for our Communion think otherwise And therefore let this be left out of the Form of Concord to our Brethrens Liberty If they will hold Communion in the Associations that have but temporary Presidents let them be received And if those that own not stated Presidents or at least such as Exercise a Negative Voice in Ordination will yet hold Communion in Synods with a signification of their dissent in that point with them that are of a contrary mind they are to be received and will be by such as more regard the honour of God and the Churches peace and the Interest of Christian Charity Piety and common Truths than their own conceits and carnal Interests I shall therefore next adjoin the Necessary Terms of an Universal Concord between all the Faithful Pastors and Churches of Christ in these Nations which yet need not be subscribed but taken as presupposed there being in the following Form of Concord for the General Peace and Communion of the Churches enough for Subscription or Express Consent Church Concord ABOUT Government and Order The Second Part. The Just Terms of Agreement between all Sober Serious Christians by what Names soever now distinguished In point 1. Of Catholick Communion 2. Of particular Church Communion 3. Of the Communion of Neighbour Churches 4. And of Churches of several Kingdoms 5. And of their Duty as good Subjects to their Prince Humbly offered to all the Christian Churches as the true and sufficient remedy of their Divisions if not rejected or neglected And as a standing Witness before God and Man against Dividing Zeal and Church Tyranny By RICHARD BAXTER a Servant of the God of Love and Peace We that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves Let every one of us please his Neighbour for his good to edification That ye may with One Mind and One Mouth glorifie God Wherefore receive ye one another as Christ also received us to the Glory of God Rom. 15. 1 2 6 7. Be of One Mind Live in Peace and the God of Love and Peace shall be with you 2 Cor. 13. 11. LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chapel 1691. To the READER Countreymen MY Saviour having made me Believe that every Kingdom divided against it self is brought to desolation Mat. 12. 25. I shall the less regard the Ministers of Satan who will say that such attempts to unite the true Subjects of Christ and the King is a dangerous Plot to strengthen Rebels against the King by their Union If such Fiends should do their will upon me as Faith is but a means to the final perfective Grace of Love so I shall as much rejoice to be a Sacrifice or Martyr for Christian Love as for the Christian Faith And if Peacemakers shall be called the Children of God by those that are his Children at least I am contented with that blessedness Mat. 5. 9. and envy not their kind of Honour or Prosperity If this attempt shall speed no better than many which I have formerly made have done as to any publick Reconciliation I shall not yet think it vain while the private minds of many Christians are formed into more peaceable Apprehensions and Dispositions But if it should succeed for any publick or common healing how great would be my Ioy While the Conciliatory Writings and Precious Names of Usher Hall Davenant Dury Bergius Burroughs c. are so sweet to me Let Envy gnash the Teâ—th and dividing Malice do its worst I hope in this delightful work to live and die One thing I must warn the Reader of that I have omitted Scripture proofs of my Assertions because they are self-evident or past Controversie and because that the proofs which are fetcht from two or three Texts compared will not be understood by the usual sleighty Readings of
in order do require the Church with Prudence to determine of such undetermined Circumstances Modes and Orders as fall under those Generals As what Translation of the Scriptures to use what Metre of the Psalms what Tunes whether to divide the Scriptures into Chapters and Verses what Chapters to read what Psalms to Sing and when and how many what particular Method to use in Preaching and what words what helps for Memory whether written Notes in length or briefly At what Hour to begin How long to Preach and Pray In what words to Pray In what decent habit and in what gesture to Preach or Sing God's Praises c. what Utensils to use as Pulpit Font Table Cloth Cups c. In what Place c. In all which the Pastors are the Guides by Office and in many the Agents And it is no sinful Will-worship or adding to the Word of God to determine in such cases And they that will not stand to such Determinations cannot be Members of their Flocks As if any will not meet at that time or place where the Church doth meet or will not use the same Psalms or Translations or hear the Pastor in such a Method or with such Notes c. he thereby refuseth the Communion of that Church which must have some determinate time and place c. But yet the Pastors Power being for Edification and not for Destruction he must take the Peoples consent in all so far as the Churches good requireth it to their Edification and Peace and guide them as a Father by Love and in Humility as the Servant of all and not as Lording it over the Flock And if his Determination should be so perverse as to be destructive of the Church or of the Worship of God the people must seek the due Remedy of which more anon 10. As the Keys of the Church are committed by Christ to the Pastors for intromission Guidance and Sentential Excommunication that is for the Government of the Church so the People must not usurp any part of their office They are not obliged to try the Faith or Holiness of such as are to be Baptized or such as are to be received into their Publick Communion but may rest in the Pastors Judgment whose office it is to try them supposing still that they have their due remedy in case of corrupting or destructive Male administration And that their needful assistance in their Places should be used 11. If any Member of the Church do live in any Heresie or other great Sin contrary to his Covenant with God those who are acquainted with it must admonish him and seek to bring him to Repentance in the order appointed by Christ And if he repent not they must tell the Church And if being duely admonished by the Pastors he yet repent not the Pastors as the Church Guides must pronounce him unfit for the Communion of the Church and require him to forbear it and the people to avoid him which the people must obey Yet so as that if the people have sufficient cause to doubt whether a censure be not contrary to the Word of God they may enquire into the cause And if they find it contrary indeed they must not execute that Sentence by any of those private Acts of alienation which are in their own Power And they may seek due reparation of the publick breach 12. If one Pastor of a Church where there are many do perniciously and notably corrupt the Faith or the Worship or the Discipline of the Church the other Pastors must admonish him and both they and the people disown him if after a first and second Admonition he repent not And the same must the people do by all the Pastors if all be guilty in the same kind and must trust their Souls with more faithful Pastors But this must not be done mistakingly headily or rashly nor as an Act of Government over the Pastors or the Church but as an Act of Obedience to God for the preservation of their Souls and of the interest of Christ Nor must it be done without such consultation with and assistance of the Neighbour Churches or the Magistrates as their case shall make necessary or profitable to their right Ends. Nor by a violation of any lawful Orders of the Magistrates 13. If a Pastor preach some unsound Doctrines or faultily perform the publick Worship or neglect just Discipline and receive the unworthy to the Communion of the Church or reject the worthy the presence of the innocent Members who make not the fault their own by consent or by neglecting their Duties to reform it maketh none of this to be their Sin nor is to be taken for a sign of their consent Nor will the presence of the unworthy deprive the Godly of the Blessing or Comfort of God's Ordinance Nor are they bound to separate from that Church because of these Corruptions unless they are so great as to unchurch that Church or make their Worship and Communion such as God himself rejecteth and will not accept or unless by imposing Sin upon them or some other way the Church expel them or they have accidentally some other reason to remove 14. The Members of the same Church must live so near to one another as that they may be capable of the Communion and Duties of their relation But whether Parish-bounds shall be Church-bounds and whether there shall be one Church only or more in the same Parish is a thing which God hath not directly determined but only by general Rules to direct our Prudence as cases are by Circumstances varied Where the Magistrates Laws thus bound the Churches and the conveniences of Numbers Maintenance Place and common Expectation require it And where it is commonly taken for scandalous Disobedience or Disorder or Schism to do otherwise Prudence forbiddeth us to violate these Bounds and Orders without true necessity Not taking all for Church-Members who are Parishioners but taking none but Parishioners into that Church nor setting up other Churches in that Parish But when there are no such Laws and Reasons for it and where there are plainly greater Reasons or necessity to do otherwise we should not make such a Law to our selves 15. When true sound Churches are first settled all unneoessary and causeless Separation from them or setting up of new Churches in the same Towns or Parishes by way of disclaiming them or in opposition to them should be avoided by all Christians Because 1. We find not in Scripture times that any one City had many such Churches approved of God The numbers of Christians being but enow for one 2. Because it taketh up more Ministers than the interest of the Universal Church can allow to so few 3. Because it proceedeth from a sinful want of Love and Unity and tendeth to the further decrease of both Long and sad Experlence having shewed that each of those Churches think it to be their Duty to stablish their several perswasions and oppose the contrary
whereby they are carried as for the interest of the truth to make their Adversaries be thought to be ignorant erroneous or bad and so to make one another seem less amiable to the ruine of Love and the division and danger of the Churches And because Love and Unity are so frequently and vehemently pressed in the Scriptures and Divisions or Schism so much forbidden 16. All these are sinful Schismatical Separations but in very different degrees 1. When the interest of some Heresie or lesser Errour and the disclaiming of some truth doth cause men to separate 2. When they slander a true Ministry as no true Ministry and so separate 3. When they slander a true Church as no true Church 4. When they separate because they accuse true worship to be Idolatry or lawful worship to be unlawful 5. When they falsly accuse the Churches Faith Worship or Order to be defective and to want some necessary part As the Papists do by the Protestants who take up with the Scripture-Religion alone 6. When they accuse some tolerable failing in the Church to be intolerable and such as maketh their Communion unlawful 7. When they separate from the Church because of the Holiness and Strictness of its Doctrine and just Discipline which crosseth them in their Sin or because they hate the Purity of its Worship and Obedience 8. When they separate because that they have not a part in the Government of the Church themselves in receiving Members or censuring them or because they may not be Teachers of the Church or otherwise invade the Pastoral Office 9. When Pride or Coveteousness maketh them separate through personal distaste at the Pastors or any Members for want of respect or honour or gain or upon supposed injuries 10. When the Minor part separate because they have not their own will against the Major part in the choice of Ministers or in other Church-Affairs in which they have just cause to acquiesce 11. When they over-value their own Conceits and doubtful Opinions and their own indifferent Modes or words of Circumstances of Worship or Order so that they think it needful to separate to enjoy them 12. When they expect that the Pastors should Excommunicate or deny the Communion of the Church to such as they account unfit without any accusation and proof or true Church-justice And do separate from the Communion where such are received as unlawful for themselves 13. When they separate upon this false Supposition that their presence maketh them guilty as Consenters of all the Ministers Errours in the Doctrine or Method or words of his Preaching Praying or other Administrations 14. When they separate because the Church will not forbear the Singing of David's Psalms the Baptizing of Infants or some other such part or order of God's Worship 15. When they separate because they will not consent to the lawful Circumstances of Time Place Translation Metre Tunes Utensils or Methods which the Church doth use These all are unlawful Separations But the great aggravations are when they separate to set up Heretical Doctrine and Teachers or false church-Church-Orders and Worship corrupted in the Essentials or to promote ungodliness or to rail at others from whom they separate and to cherish Divisions to the injury of the common Christian Cause 17. These following are lawful Causes of Separation 1. When the Pastors are really no Ministers of Christ but uncapable or uncalled Usurpers or Hereticks or Infidels or open Enemies to Piety who do more harm than good and set themselves to destroy the Church of God and the ends of their Ministry 2. When the Church maketh not Profession of the Christian Faith or are not baptized or visible Christians 3. When the worship of the Church is Idolatry or such for the Substance as God will not accept nor it is not lawful to joyn in 4. When the Church renounceth or omitteth any Ordinance of God which the whole Church must ordinarily perform and which all things considered it is not lawful to omit 5. When after due admonition the Church is turned into a Theatre of Contention and a School of Malignity and reviling the Brethren and of destroying Christian Love to others or of promoting Schism to the intolerable wrong of the people and of others and of the Cause and Churches of Christ. 6. When after due Admonition and Patience the Church so far renounceth Discipline as openly to own and justifie such wickedness or heinous Sins as are inconsistent with the true Profession of Christianity and Godliness 18. And if the unsoundness badness or weakness of the Pastors and the faultiness of the Worship Order or Discipline be not so great as to make Communion with the Church sunply unlawful yet any free man whose Edification is greatly hindered by it and can elsewhere have far greater helps for his Salvation and joyn with a Church which walketh more conformably to the Christian Rule may lawfully remove himself to such a Ministry and Church when it is not to the greater hurt of others than his own good Especially such whose ignorance weakness and deadness maketh a lively and convincing Ministry more needful to their safety and welfare than it is to others For it is a Sin Caeteris paribus to prefer the worse before the better and a sin to neglect the best means for our Souls which we can lawfully enjoy And the Soul is more precious than to be hazarded or left in sin and darkness for an unnecessary Circumstance Nor is it any sinful Separation or Disorder for the Members of one Church to communicate occasionally with other Churches of Christ seeing our relation to the Universal Church is more strict and inviolable than to any particular Church as such Also in case of removal of our Habitations or change of our Family Relations or other the like Reasons it is lawful to remove from one Church to another without any unjust censuring of that which we remove from And if the first Church will not consent after due means for their satisfaction we may remove without their consent 19. He that is denied Communion with the Church unless he will speak or subscribe some falshood or take any false Oath or make any unlawful promise or commit any other sin is sinfully cast out or repulsed by the Imposer and is not guilty of Schism or sinful Separation by denying to commit such imposed sin And he that only removeth from the place of meeting with the Pastor and Church when they remove and doth not withdraw from the Church it self or that adhereth to his lawful Pastor and part of the Church when the rest of the Church adhere to an Usurper is not to be judged guilty of Schism for such avoiding of Schism 20. The principal care for the avoiding of Schism and for maintaining Unity and Love is incumbent on the Pastors of the Church whose first work must be to preserve this Love and Unity in their particular Churches to prevent withdrawing into separating Churches
To which end their first care must be to give no just cause by corrupting of Doctrine Worship or Discipline to any to withdraw and not to impose any unnecessary thing as necessary to Communion but to unite in things necessary and to give liberty in things unnecessary A means approved in all Ages by Peacemakers And to guide the Church by the paternal Government of Reason and Love and not by Tyranny to make themselves hateful And to be much in preaching Love and Concord that the people may know the sin and danger of Factions and Divisions and to avoid all Factiousness and Contentiousness themselves And their next care must be to labour after a laudable if they cannot reach an eminent degree of ability in teaching and exemplariness in a holy and charitable Life that they may win the esteem and love of the Flock and may give them no occasion to think that the necessity of their Souls requireth them to seek for better helps But if differing though tolerable Opinions do so possess any of the peoples minds that no means can satisfie them to continue in the same Assemblies and their presence will be more hurtful than their absence or if the Pastor or Church be so over-rigid as not to tolerate their dissent the next thing to be done is to permit them to Worship in other Assemblies though their withdrawing may not be justifiable and to take care that Love and Peace be maintained with them as with Neighbour Churches though perhaps weak and faulty which bringeth us up to the next Question Q. 3. What are the Terms on which Neighbour Churches may hold Communion with one another A. What these particular Churches in the question are is shewed before The Communion in question consisteth 1. In holding the same Faith 2. In the same Worship of God in the necessary parts 3. In the same profession of Obedience to God 4. In a professed estimation of each other as Brethren and as true Churches of Christ. 5. And in a professed Love to one another as such 6. And in such Communion and mutual Assistance as tend to the preservation of the Church Universal and the benefit of each other The Terms therefore and means must be these following 1. They must publickly profess the same Christian Religion in all the Essential parts which is no more but That we continue our consent to our Baptismal Covenant with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost renouncing the Devil the World and the Flesh Particularly professing to believe all the Articles of the Ancient Creed and to Desire all that is contained in the Lords Prayer and sincerely to endeavour to live towards God and Men according to the Ten Commandments Believing also the Sacred Canonical Scriptures to be true and taking them for the intire Rule of our Divine Belief and Worship and Obedience And we renounce so far as we can know them all Heresies Errors and Practices contrary hereto This is all the Profession that is to be required of any person in order to the Catholick Communion of Christians as such or of the Members of a particular Church besides their consent to their particular Church relation or of Neighbour Churches for their Communion with each other Except when any scandal obligeth us to clear our selves whether it be suspected Heresie or wickedness of Life by a just Purgation or Repentance And the requiring of larger unnecessary Professions hath been the grand Engine of Church Divisions through many Generations 2. Yet as there are Christians of divers degrees of knowledge and soundness in the same Church so there are Churches also as different And though we must own them all as Christian Churches which are such indeed yet must we not judge them equally sound or pure but must disown the gross corruptions of Doctrine Worship or Discipline which are proved to be in any of them and must specially honour those that are more faithful pure and entire 3. No one particular single Church must claim or usurp a Right of Dominion or Government over other Churches as given them by God seeing that all such true Churches are as Cities or Corporations in one Kingdom which are all governed by one King but are none of them rightful Rulers of the rest Nor must any Men of their own heads set up such Forms of Government as of Humane right in Conformity to the Secular Governments of the World and this as Spiritual in the Exercise of the Keys which Christ committed to his Ministers tho' one eminent Minister may instruct and admonish many others and have some care of many Churches contrary to or inconsistent with the Orders setled by Christ or his Apostles who were commissioned by him for the setling of all Universally necessarily Church Government and infallibly guided therein by the Holy Ghost Much less may the Unity and Peace of the Church be laid upon such invented policies as it is by the Papists who make their forged Head Pope or Council a constitutive essential part of the Catholick Church and seign all the Christian World to be Schismaticks who will not be his Subjects 4. But Love and Concord and Peace must be maintained among the equal parts of the Catholick Church Seeing it is the strength of the Churches and their Beauty and the Exercise and help of the Life and Holiness of all the parts Therefore such correspondencies must be maintained among them as tend to a right understanding of each other and to a just furtherance of these happy ends And as in particular Churches the determinations of useful circumstances according to Gods general Rules is no sinful addition to Gods Word or Ordinances so neither is it here to be so judged if Magistrates by Laws or Churches by consent do determine of useful undetermined circumstances for the ordering of these Correspondencies and preventing Contentions Factions and Divisions 5. The ordinary means of these correspondencies are Messengers and Synods or Councils and Letters Testimonial or Certificates If one Church be offended with another upon suspicion of Heresie or scandalous Practices they may by Messengers admonish them and these may by Messengers make their Purgation or Confession As also if they desire Advice or Help from one another but if in common and weighty cases there be need of more common and judicious consultations or significations of Consent and Concord Synods are the means thereto And if one Member Travel into other parts or remove his dwelling or be to be received by other Churches especially in Suspicious Times and Cases Communicatory Letters and Certificates are the means that Hereticks and Deceivers abuse not the Churches 6. Whether these Synods shall be held at certain stated times or variously as occasions vary And whether they shall have a President And whether he shall be mutable or fixed And of how many Churches they shall be composed And how oft they shall meet and how long they shall sit with such like are circumstances left to Humane Prudence
but in words or very narrow seem more material wide and dangerous than they are and shall hereupon proclaim their Brethren to be heretical or blasphemous and use to revile them and renounce Communion with them and would silence the Pastors if it were in their Power These under the Name of the Ministers of Christ do powerfully militate for the Devil against the Love and Peace of Christians and are the pernicious Incendiaries in the Churches of Christ. Q. 5. What is the Magistrates Power and Duty about Religion and the Churches and Ministers of Christ Answ. I shall say more as to their Power than as to their Duty because I know not how it will be endured or how that counsel will be taken or followed which is not desired It more concerneth us to consider of our own duty to them 1. All the forcing Power about matters Ecclesiastical whether by corporal Penalties or forced Mulcts belongeth only to the Magistrate Besides what Parents and Masters may do And if any Pastors use it it must be as Magistrates receiving it from the Soveraign And the Sword is so unseemly in a Pastors hand and so ill taken by the people and so adverse to the persuasive Loving Government which he must exercise and hath ever been of such unhappy effects to the World that it were to be wished that Princes would keep their Sword from the Clergy to themselves and commit it to such Officers as have not so much other work to do and are not so likely to abuse it 2. If any Pastors will declare that Princes are bound to punish men meerly as Excommunicated by them without any tryal of the Cause before themselves or Officers and will Excommunicate Magistrates for not Imprisoning Banishing or Burning or otherwise afflicting those whom the Clergy have Excommunicated or judged to be so used Much more if any will teach and declare that Excommunicate Kings are no Kings yea though a Foreigner that hath no Power over them Excommunicate them or that they may be kill'd as Tyrants or that the Pope or any other have Power to depose them and dispose of their Dominions see the Council at Lateran under Innocent 3d. Can. 3. and the Council at Rome under Gregor 7. If such be Subjects they are injurious to the Civil Power If they are Foreigners they are open declared Enemies 3. The Office and Power of Kings and other Magistrates is from God and their lawful Commands are to be obeyed for Conscience sake and not to avoid their Punishments only 4. Their Office is to promote Obedience to God and to his Laws by making Subordinate Laws of their own and to be a terrour to Evil-doers and a Praise and Encouragement to them that do well 5. The Clergy as well as others must be subject to Kings and Magistrates Nor is it tolerable Doctrine which would exempt their Persons or Estates except it be by the King's consent 6. Princes must not only promote natural Obedience to the true God but also the special Faith and Obedience of the Gospel by means which are suitable thereunto 7. Princes may make Laws forbidding the Publication of all pernicious Damning Doctrines and the Practice of Idolatry and of all great and notable Crimes against the Law of God and may Correct the Offenders by convenient Penalties with Prudence and Moderation 8. If heretical covetous or lazy Pastors corrupt God's Word and Worship notoriously or neglect their certain Duty to the betraying or endangering of the Flocks or are persons uncapable of the Office the Magistrate may drive them on to their Duties and moderately and prudently punish them for their negligence and unfaithfulness and may forbid the uncapable to exercise that Office 9. Such Circumstances of Worship and Orders of Assemblies before instanced as are fit for Common Determination and Agreement in all the Churches being such whose Determination is not proper to the Pastors Office may on moderate terms and by religious advice be determined of by Magistrates And all their lawful Determinations must be obeyed 10. There needeth not the device of Popes or Patriarchs to call Councils or to keep Peace among the Pastors of the Church For the Magistrate must do it as a great part of the work of his Office Every Soveraign may call such Pastors unto Councils as are his Subjects And several Princes by agreement may call their respective Subjects together when there is Cause And proper Universal Councils as is shewed are things which never were known nor are not to be expected And it must be a very extraordinary necessity which must warrant the Pastors of several Kingdoms to hold Councils together when they are forbidden by their Kings Princes also may correct Church-Tyrants and Usurpers and Destroyers of Faith or Piety or Peace They ought to restrain such Pastors as would raise Seditions or Rebellions or Persecutions of the Innocent or that pretend Religion for the open and obstinate revilings of their Brethren and are proved to be unquiet Firebrands to kindle Dissentions and destroy Mens Love to one another or arbitrarily to oppress the Flocks 11. When any question Who must be Iudge in cases of Heresie Infidelity or Idolatry as divulged or practised the true answer is obvious and easie 1. In regard of publick Ecclesiastical judgment and the Sentence of Excommunication or Absolution the Pastors of the Church are the proper Judges by virtue of the power of the Keys 2. In regard of publick civil judgment in order to corporal forcible punishment or impunity as there is just cause the Magistrate is the only publick Judge 3. In regard of that private judgment of discerning by which every rational person must know his own Duty both to God and Man and discern when and how far to obey Man without disobeying God every such rational person is a Iudge that is a Discerner of what he ought to do And Christ always the final Judge 12. Yet may not the Magistrate invade the Pastoral Office it self nor Ordain or Dâ—grade Ministerâ— in that Spiritual Sense as it is committed to Church-Guides nor Administer the Sacraments nor exercise the proper power of the Church Keys which Christ committed to Church Officers by such Excommunications or Absolutions as are proper to that power nor may they hinder the â—astors from the due performance of their Office in matter or manner Nor forbid the necessary Preaching of the Gospel or publick worshipping of God by all or any of his Ministers But are bound to promote it with studious diligence as Patrons of the Church 13. But if they should forbid us the necessary Preaching of God's Word or necessary assembling for God's publick Worship as we must not account those seasons and circumstances necessary which are unnecessary so that which is necessary indeed we must not desert till we are disabled to perform it seeing it is greater Sacrilege if we alienate a person consecrated to God in so sacred an Office than if we should alienate conseorated Goods
such as expect the very Syllables of the Assertions in the proofs Therefore for brevity I take it to be the better way â—â— this time to offer here a full sufficient proof of any one of these Assertions which shall be questioned to such as shall soberly demand it A Servant of Christ for his Churches Unity and Peace Richard Baxter Acton Nov. 2â— 1688. Q. SEeing you have oft affirmed publickly that the Terms of Concord among Christians are easie to be known if their unwillingness to practise them were not the hinderance you are desired to answer these Questions following 1. What are the necessary Terms of Catholick Communion of Christians as Members of the Church Universal 2. What are the necessary Terms of the Communion of Christians personally in a particular Church 3. What are the Terms on which Neighbour Churches may hold Communion with one another 4. What are the Terms of Communion between the Churches of several Kingdoms 5. What is the Magistrates Power and Duty about Religion and the Churches and Ministers of Christ I. It is to be understood that the Universal Church is considered as Spiritual or as Visible As Spiritual it is the Universality of true Spiritual or Regenerate Believers as Headed by Jesus Christ. As Visible it is the Universality of the Baptized or Professors of true Faith as Headed by Christ the Author and Object of that Faith And accordingly Christians are to be distinguished And that the Question is of the Visible Church and Christians 2. This being supposed I answer that Catholick Visible Communion consisteth 1. Fundamentally in being all Baptized or entered into the same Covenant of Grace with God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and so being joyned to the same Head and entered into the same Universal Body and professing the same Faith and Love and Obedience contained in that Covenant and not falling away from that Profession or any Essential part thereof 2. And consequently that we all acknowledge the extraordinary Ministry of the Prophets and Apostles and receive their Testimony and Doctrine recorded in the Sacred Scriptures At least the foresaid Essentials of the Covenant and so much more as we understand and are convinced to be Canonical Scriptures or written by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost 3. And also that we acknowledge a stated ordinary Ministry in the Church appointed by Christ to Disciple and Baptize the Nations of the World and then to teach them to observe all his Commands And that we profess our willingness to join in Christian Assemblies under the conduct of such Ministers for the worshipping of God and furthering our own and others Salvation if we have opportunity so to do And that we do accordingly II. Q. 1. We speak only of Visible Christians in this second Question also of Church Communion 2. A Particular Church signifieth either 1. A Community of Christians agreed to live under Pastoraâ— Guidance before they have a Pastor or have practised that agreement This is not the Church here meanâ— 2. Or a Political Society of Christian Pastor and People professedly associated for Personal Communion Exercise of these Relations as such in the publick worshipping of God and for the furtherance of Love and Obedience in each other The Ends difference it from all Civil Societies of Christians and from the associations of many Churches for Communion by delegates The necessary Terms of this Church Communion are these 1. The Pastor whether one or more must have all things essential to his Office 1. As to his Qualifications that is 1. That he understand at least the Essential Points of Christianity and Church Communion 2. That he be able to teach them to others in some competent degree 3. That he be willing to do it and this for Gods Honour the Churches Good and Mens Salvation 2. As to his Call that he have a true notification of the will of God that he should undertake this Office which is ordinarily done 1. By the Ordination that is the Approbation and Investiture of Bishops or Pastors 2. And in this case of his relation to a particular Church by the peoples consent All this in truth is needful before God and in Appearance and Profession before the Church 2. The People must be Baptized persons Sacramentally engaged into Covenant with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and such as have not professedly deserted that Covenant by Apostasie nor are proved before a lawful Judicature to be deserters of any Essential part thereof Whether open professed Covenanting may not serve without Baptism in cases of Necessity where Baptism cannot be had is a case so extraordinary that we need not here meddle with it 3. He that was Baptized in Infancy and yet having opportunity at full age doth make no Profession of Christianity nor own his Baptismal Covenant openly by word or deed is to be numbered with Deserters 4. Though the most plain and open profession is usually best where it may be â—ad yet a profession less explicite may serve to the being of Church-members such as is their actual joyning with those Churches who purposely assemble to make publick profession of the Christian Religion Faith Love and Obedience 5. There must be also a signification of consent to their particular Church-Relation either more express and plain or at least by such actions which may be reasonably presumed to signifie it As ordinary joining in Church-worship with that particular Church and submitting to the necessary guidance of the Pastors 6. He that thus consenteth to his Relation to the Pastor and that Church is a Member though he consent not to the Membership or Presence of many particular Members thereof Because they are but Integral and not Essential parts of the Church 7. But if a usual mixture in the Assemblies of Hereticks or Strangers which are not Members of that Church or any other confounding cause do give the Pastors sufficient reason to call all or part of the people to an express signification of their consent to their Relation to put it out of doubt they that causelesly refuse such signification do seem to deny their consent and allow the Pastor and Church to judge of them accordingly 8. The office of the Bishops or Pastors is subordinate to the Teaching and Interceeding and Ruling office of Christ And their work is to Teach the people the Word of God to be their Mouth and Guide in publick Worship in Prayer and in Thanksgiving and Praise to God and to administer his holy Sacraments and to exercise that Power of the Keys which Christ hath committed to their trust in the Prudent and cautelous use of Church-Discipline And all this according to the Laws of Christ recorded in the holy Scriptures These therefore must be the Works and Ends for which these Churches must professedly assemble Especially on the Lord's Days which are separated to these holy Uses 9. The General Command in Nature and Scripture that all be done to Edification decently and