Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	church_n	faith_n	pope_n	3,103	5	6.3417	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88943	Church-government and church-covenant discussed, in an answer of the elders of the severall churches in New-England to two and thirty questions, sent over to them by divers ministers in England, to declare their judgments therein. Together with an apologie of the said elders in New-England for church-covenant, sent over in answer to Master Bernard in the yeare 1639. As also in an answer to nine positions about church-government. And now published for the satisfaction of all who desire resolution in those points.	Mather, Richard, 1596-1669.; Mather, Richard, 1596-1669. Apologie of the churches in New-England for church-covenant.; Peters, Hugh, 1598-1660.; Davenport, John, 1597-1670.	1643 (1643)	Wing M1270; Thomason E106_8; Thomason E106_9; ESTC R18913	104,756	140

Church-Government AND Church-Covenant DISCVSSED In an Answer of the Elders of the severall Churches in NEW-ENGLAND To two and thirty Questions sent over to them by divers Ministers in England to declare their judgments therein Together with an Apologie of the said Elders in New-England for Church-Covenant sent over in Answer to Master Bernard in the yeare 1639. As also in an Answer to nine Positions about Church-Government And now published for the satisfaction of all who desire resolution in those points LONDON Printed by R. O. and G. D. for Benjamin Allen and are to be sold at his Shop in Popes head-Ally 1643. To the READER IT is not hard to believe that such discourses as this wil meet with divers censures the prophane and ignorant loathing Christ and any thing concerning him the Formalist accounting such truths troublesom that may ingage him in the change of his opinions and practises and some of the wisest will be apt to question the tyming such light as this yea doubtles this pamphlet-glut●ed age will so looke upon it and lay it by But because I doe conceive that this sword will not be sheath'd which is now drawn till Church-work be better known and more countenanced and since safety is laid up in the Temple Psa 27. 3 4 5. I could not but help on this which attended and practised may prove our security next to Christ These were either sudden answers to our doubting and inquiring Brethren or some satisfaction rendred about our so much slighted Church-Covenant which wee could not but thinke might come to view for the present stay to some faithfull soules that call for light and intend to use it well for others of what kind soever we must beare their harder thoughts among th●se usuall loads of scandals that men of our judgement must carry especially if zeale for the Truth draw them forth to publike observation nor doe we purpose God helping us to succumbe under calumny being the livery of quieter times then these let us bee viler still so God and his Arke may be more glorious Yet this I doe professe for my selfe and Brethren that as we have not bin dealt with nor convinc'd of any offence so we shall ever be ready to give an account of that hope which is in us being call'd thereunto in the meane time we over looke these barkings of black mouthes and wish a good Comment be made upon the text of our plaine meaning The onely way I know to reach Gods mind in Worship will bee to love the truth for it's owne sake yea to love it when it shall condemne our practises and persons also Who hath not observed that the first step to error is the declining the truth in love to it ⁂ Hence Popery begat her first brat and hath nurst it up with thesame milke we would earnestly desire that none would call that unsensonable or unreasonable which God seemes even now to call for at the calling of this Synode and will carry so much Reason with it as God and his truth will owne more tendernes and respect to our Brethren we know not how to shew who sent us these 32. Questions no other dealing would we have from our brethren not consenting with us Some Rivers have bin noted to differ in the colours of the water yet running in the same Channell let Jesus Christ be lifted up by us all let us love him whilst wee dispute about him Presbytery and Independency as it is cal'd are the wayes of Worship and Church fellowship now looked at since we hope Episcop 〈…〉 out and will be buried without expectation of another resurrection We are much charged with what we own not viz Independency when as we know not any Churches Reformed more looking at sister Churches for helpe then ours doe onely we cannot have rule yet discovered from any friend or enemy that we should be under Canon or power of any other Church under their Councell we are We need not tell the wise whence Tyranny grew in Churches and how common wealths got their pressure in the like kind These be our sighs and hearty wishes that selfe may be conquered in this poore Nation which shuts the doore against these truths Know good Reader we do not hereby go about to whistle thee out of any known good way of God Commonly Questions and Answers cleare up the way when other Treatises leave us to darknes Read them and what we say for a Church-Covenant it may save charge and time in reading other Bookes remember wee strive not here for masteryes but give an account of our practise wherein if thou know'st we faile Candidus imperti if we agree let us worke by our plat-forme and may thy soule flourish as a greene heath or watered garden So prayeth Thine heartily H. PETER THE XXXII QUESTIONS STATED _1 WHether the greatest part of the English there by estimation be not as yet unadmitted to any Congregation among you and the Reasons thereof 2. What things doe you hold to be Essentiall and absolutely necessary to the being of a true Visible Church of Christ 3. Whether doe you not hold all Visible Believers to bee within the Visible Church as Members thereof and not without in the Apostles sence 1 Cor. 5. and therefore ought so to be acknowledged and accepted in all Congregations wheresoever they shall come and are so knowne and ought if they desire and be not otherwise unfit of right to be permitted to partake in all Gods ordinances and Church priviledges there so farre as they personally concerne themselves although they be not as yet fixed Members in particul●r Covenant either with that Congregation where for the present they reside nor with any other 4. Whether you doe not hold that Baptisme rightly for substance partaked doth make them that are so Baptized Members of the Visible Church and so to have right at least quoad nos to all the priviledges thereof so farre as they are otherwise fit untill they be cast out if they so deserve by Excommunication 5. Whether doe you not admit Children under age as Members of the Church together with and in the Admission of their Parent or Parents So as thenceforth they may partake of all Church priviledges being otherwise fit without any other personall profession of Faith or entring into Church Covenant when they shall come to yeares and how long doe you count them under age 6. Whether do not you admit Orphants under age with and in their Guardians 7. Whether doe you admit or refuse Children under age only acco●ding to the present estate of their nearest Parents Or doe you not admit them if any of their next Ancestors before their parents were believers 8. Whether doe you require of all persons of age whom you admit Members of any Church 1. A publike vocall declaration of the manner and soundnesse of their conversion 2. A publike profession of their faith concerning the Articles of Religion 3. An expresse verball covenanting to walke with

came up but of late must first prove it contrary to the Word of God or else hold their peace White Way 44. 1. And the same we say in this particular of the Church-Covenant Secondly And yet they that search the Stories and Writers of the times and ages next after the Apostles may find some testimonie of Church-Covenant in those dayes For instance Justine Martyr in his Apol. 2. makes mention of three things which were required of all that were admitted into the Church as members 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is regeneration and soundnesse in the Faith and a promise to walke in obedience to the Gospel And generally this was the practise of all those times that never any man was admitted to Baptisme nor his children neither but they put him to answer three questions Abrenuntios whereto he answered Abrenuntio Credis whereto his answer was Credo and Spondes to which he answered Spondes So that here was an open declaration of his Repentance from dead works and of the soundnesse of his Faith in the two first particulars and an open binding himself by covenant or promise to walke according to the Gospel in the third But much needs not to be said in this point unto them that do acknowledge Scripture Antiquitie to be sufficient though after times should be found to swerve from the Rules and Patterns that are therein contained If Church-Covenant be so necessarie then all the Reformed Churches are to be condemned as no Churches for they have no such Covenant They that have knowne those Churches not onely by their writings and confessions of their faith in Synods and otherwise but also by living amongst them and being eye-witnesses of their Order do report otherwise of them viz. that they are combined together by solemne Covenant with God and one another Zepperus speaking of the manner used in the reformed Churches in admitting the children of Church-members to the Lords Table when they came to age and have been sufficiently catechised and instructed in the doctrine of Religion tells us that such children are admitted to the Lords table by publick profession of Faith and entring into Covenant Consuetum est saith l●e ut qui per atatem inque Doctrinâ Catecheticâ profectum ad sacram Coenam primum admittuntur fidei confessionem coram totâ Ecclesiâ publice edant per parentes aut qui parentum loco sunt jussû ministri in Ecclesia conspectum producti quòdque in illa confessione per Dei gratiam perstare ac juxta illam vitam instituere insuper etiam disciplina Ecclesiasticae ultrò ac spoute suâ subjicere sese velint spondeant atque stipulentur Polit. Eccles lib. 1. cap. 14. p. 158. that is The manner is that they who by reason of age and proficiencie in the doctrine of Catechisme are first admitted to the Lords Supper should publickly before the whole Church make confession of their faith being brought forth into the sight of the Church by their parents or them that are instead of parents at the appointment of the Minister and likewise should promise and covenant by the grace of God to continue in that Faith which they have confessed and to lead their lives according to it yea and moreover to subject themselves freely and willingly to the discipline of the Church These words we see are full and plaine that children are not in those Churches received to the Lords Supper without personall confession of Faith and entring into Covenant before And if they tooke this course with children come to age there is as much reason or more that the same course should be holden with men of yeers when they are admitted members And so the same Zepperus speaking of the consociation of Churches amongst themselves by mutuall confederation hath these words which as they may be applyed to the combining of many Churches so may they be combining of many members of the same Church 〈◊〉 illa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quam in Symbolo profite nunc Apostolico nihil aliud hic requirit vult quam obligationem omnium Ecclesiae membrorum confoederationem c. that is that communion of Saints which we professe in the Creed doth require and meane nothing else but an obligation of all the members of the Church and a binding of them together by Covenant Polit. Eccles li. 3 c. 8. p 721. To these testimonies of Z●pp●r●● those words may be added of Mr. Parker our own countreyman a man of singular note for learning and holinesse who also himselfe lived sometimes beyond Sea in the reformed Churches and there ended his dayes so that we may safely give the more credit to his testimonie he having so good meanes fully to know the state and order of those Churches Now he speaketh of a Solennis forma absque quâ in Ecclesiae alicujus communionem nullus ritè recipitur of a solemne forme without which no man is rightly received into the communion of the Church hath these words Hic mos ille est reformatarum Ecclesiarum non solum in lapsis restituendis sed in extra●eis i●ò quibuscunque recipiendis qui ad habitandum alicubi consident etsi fortè in Ecclesiâ illius loci quo ante commo● abantur juxta hanc formam admissi prius fuerant Examinat Presbyterium plebs consentit quisque testes vita sua secum adfert vel testimonia sal●em publicatur nomen cuiusque competentis pro con●io●e admonetur quisque siquid habeat quod excipiat ut denunciet presbyteris Si nihil contrà adferatur admittitur quidem sed non nisi solerni pactione cum Deo cum Ecclesiâ Spondet verò Ecclesiae se ambulaturum prout sanctam illam communionem decet Disciplinae illius Ecclesiae subjacere velle se fratribus illius communionis invigilaturum juxta Christi praeceptum Matth. 18. 17. ut praeveniantur sanentur que scandala illi ad studium bonorum operum provehantur That is This is the manner of the reformed Churches not onely in restoring such as have fallen but in admitting of strangers yea of all whoever they be who do sit down in any place for habitation though perhaps they have been formerly admitted after the same manner in the Church where they have formerly dwelt The Presbytery doth examine the people do consent every man brings with him witnesses of his life or at least-wise testimonies The name of each one that desires to be a member is published in the Assembly every one is admonished if he have any exception against the party to bring it to the Presbytery If nothing be brought against him then indeed he is admitted but yet no otherwise then by a solemne covenant with God and the Church And to the Church he promiseth that he will walk as becometh that holy Fellowship that he will be subject to the discipline of that Church that he will watch over the brethren of that Communion according to the Command of Christ Mat. 18.

same may be said in this case Suppose the Magistrates Proclamation should be a cause or an occasion rather of bringing some into the Church who came not of their owne voluntary minde but for feare or for obteining favour yet this cannot hinder but others might voluntarily and freely Covenant to be subject to the Gospel of Christ Such subjection and the promise of it being the thing which themselves did heartily desire though the Magistrate should have said nothing in it If any shall hereupon inferre that if the Parishionall Assemblies be Churches then the members of them may be admitted to Church priviledges in New England before they joyne to our Churches Such one may finde his Answer in the Answer to the tenth of the thirty-two Questions Whereunto we doe referre the Reader for this point Onely adding this that this were contrary to the judgement and practise of the Reformed Churches who doe not admit a man for member without personall profession of his Faith and joyning in Covenant though he had formerly been a member of a Church in another place as was shewed before out of Master Parker Lastly If any say that if these reasons prove the English Congregations to have such a Covenant as proves them to be Churches then why may not Rome and the Assemblies of Papists goe for true Churches also For some man may thinke that the same things may be said for them that here in Answer to this eleventh Objection are said for the Parishes in England Such one must remember two things first that we doe not say simply a Covenant makes a company a true Church but as was said before a Covenant to walke in such wayes of worship to God and edification of one another as the Gospel of Christ requireth For who doubts but there may be an agreement among theeves Pro. 1. A confederation among Gods enemies Psal 83. A conspiracy among the Arabians the Ammonites and Ashdodites to hinder the building of Hierusalem Neh. 4. 7 8. And yet none of these are made true Churches by such kind of confederacies or agreements And so wee may say of the Assemblies of Papists especially since the Counsell of Trent If there be any agreement or confederacy among them it is not to walke in the wayes of the Gospell but in wayes contrary to the fundamentall truths of the Gospel as Idolatry in worship Heresie in doctrine and other Antichristian pollutions and corruptions and therefore if they combined in these things such combinations will never prove them true Churches The Church is the Pillar and ground of truth 1 Tim. 3. 15. But the Religion of Papists is so farre from truth that whosoever liveth and beleeveth according to it without repentance cannot be saved Witnesse their doctrine in the point of vilifying the Scriptures and in point of free-will and of Justification by works of the Popes Supremacy of the Sacrifice of the Masse of worshipping of Images c. In regard of which and such like the Holy Ghost saith that their Religion is a Sea become as the bloud of a dead man and every soule in that Sea dyeth Rev. 16. 3. And therefore agreement in such a Religion will never prove them to be true Churches nor any Assemblies of Arrians Antitrinitaries Anabaptists or Famelists supposing them also to be combined by Covenant among themselves But now for the Assemblies in England the case is farre otherwise for the Doctrine of the Articles of Religion which they professe and which they promise to hold and observe though some things are amisse in some of those Articles and though many persons live contrary in their lives yet the doctrine is such that whosoever beleeveth and liveth according to it shall undoubtedly be saved and many thousands have been saved therein and therefore Assemblies united by Covenant to observe this doctrine may be true Churches when the Assemblies of Papists and others may be false although they also were combined by Covenant the reason of the difference rising from the difference that is in the doctrine and Religion which they severally professe and by Covenant binde themselves to observe the one being fundamentally corrupt and consequently pernicious The other in the fundamentall points Orthodoxall and sound Secondly It must be remembred also which was intimated before that if fundamentall corruptions be professed in with impenitency and obstinacy then God may disanull the Covenant on his part and give a Bill of divorce to such a people Jere. 3. 8. Now experience and the Scripture also doth witnesse of the Jesuited and Trent-Papists that they repented not of the workes of their hands of worshipping Devills and Idolls of Gold c. neither repented they of their murthers nor of their sorceries nor of their fornications nor of their thefts Rev. 9. 20 21. But now for the Parish Assemblies in England we hope that we may safely say they doe not sinne of obstinacy but of ignorance having not been convinced and many of them never having had means to be convinced of the corruptions that are amongst them in respect of their constitution and worship and Ministery and so the Covenant remaining among them may prove them to be Churches when it cannot stand the Papists in like stead they being impenitent and obstinate Which we doe not speake to justifie the Parishes altogether as if there were not dangerous corruptions found in them nay rather the Lord be mercifull to the sinnes of his people wee may lament it with teares that in respect of their members and Ministery in respect of their worship and walkings in many of those Assemblies there are found such apparent corruptions as are justly grievous to a godly soule that is enlightened to discerne them and greatly displeasing to the Lord and indeed had need to be repented of betime least otherwise the Lord remove the Candlesticke and unchurch them Rev. 2. 5. In a word the corruptions remaining are just causes of repentance and humiliation but yet in as much as the Articles of Religion which they professe containe such wholesome doctrine that whosoever beleeveth and walketh according thereunto in sinceritie shall undoubtedly be saved and in as much as the corruptions are not persisted in with obstinacy therefore wee deny not but they have the truth of Churches remaining But this opinion of Church-Covenant is holden by none but the Brownists or those of the Separation and therefore it is not to be received This ground cannot be made good that none but they of the Separation are for Church-Covenant for all the Reformed Churches generally as was shewed before in Answer to Objection the tenth are for it in their judgement practise and shall all they be condemned for Brownists or maintaining unlawfull Separation from the Church Also Master Parker and Doctor Ames men of our owne Nation famous for holinesse and learning and moderation both of them plead for Church-Covenant and yet neither of them were Brownists but bare witnesse against that riged

that may be infected with corrupt opinions of Arminianisme Familisme c. or any other dangerous error against that faith which was once delivered to the Saints as knowing how easily such men if they were admitted might infect others and perhaps destroy the Faith of some And this seemes to be intended in your second particular For both these we have our warrant as in Generall from those places which shew how Church Members ought to be qualified that they ought to be Saints faithfull in Christ Jesus c. So in speciall from that Math. 3. 6. Acts 19 18 Acts 8. 37. 38. Where men before they were admitted made profession of Repentance towards God and faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ for it is expressely said that they confessed their sinnes they confessed and shewed their deeds they professed their faith in Jesus Christ the Sonne of God Thirdly when this is done those that by manifestation of Repentance and Faith are approved as fit Members for a Church do openly professe their subjection to the Gospel of Christ and to all the Ordinances of God in that Church where now they joyne as Members which seemes to be your third particular in this Quaerie The Distinction of particular Churches one from another as severall and distinct Societies seemes to us a necessary ground for this practise for without this kinde of Covenanting we know not how it would be avoyded but all Churches would be confounded into one inasmuch as it is neither Faith nor intire affection nor Towne-dwelling nor frequenting the Assemblies that can make a man a Member or distinguish Church Members from other men See the Apologie 4. Your fourth particular in this Quaerie is Answered in the Answer to the sixt Position sent the last yeare Besides all these we heare the testimony of others if there be any that can speake of the conversion and Godly conversation of such persons which we judge to be a warrantable course from Acts 9. 26 27. It is the second of your Quaeries what things we hold necessary to the Being of a true visible Church in Generall which being Answere● this of the Parish Assemblies in England in particular whether we hold all or the most of them to be Churches we conceive might well have been spared They that now the state of those Assemblies may make application of the Generall to the particulars if they have a calling therunto Yet because you are pleased to put us to this also we thus Answer 1. That we doubt not but of Ancient time there have been many true Churches in England consisting of right matter and compacted and united together by the right forme of an holy Covenant For Mr. Fox sheweth at large that the Gospel was brought into England in the Apostles times or within a little while after Acts Mo● lib. 2. begining p. 137. Where hee reporteth out of Gildas that England received the Gospel in the time of Tiberius the Emperor under whom Christ suffered and that Joseph of Arin athea was sent of Philip the Apostle from France to England about the yeare of Christ 63. and remained in England all his time and so hee with his fellowes laid the first foundation of Christian Faith among the Brittaine people and other Preachers and Teachers comming afterwards confirmed the same and increased it Also the said Mr. Fox reporteth out of T●rtullian that the Gospel was disperced abroad by the sound of the Apostles into many Nations and amongst the rest into Brittaine yea into the wildest places of Brittaine which the Romans could never attaine unto and alledgeth also out of Necephorus that Simon Zelotes did spread the Gospell to the West Ocean and brought the same into the Iles of Brittanie and sundry other proofs he there hath for the same Point Now if the Gospel and Christian Religion were brought into England in the Apostles times and by their meanes it is like there were Churches planted there of Saints by calling which is the right matter of Churches and by way of holy Covenant as the right form for that was the manner of Constituting Churches in the Apostles times as also in the times afore Christ as hath been shewed from the Scripture in the Apologie And the footsteps hereof though mixed with manifold corruptions that have growne in aftertimes are remaining in many places of the Land to this day as appeareth by those 3 Questions and Answers at Baptisme Abrenuntias Abrenuntio Credis Credo Spondes Spondeo Dost thou renounce the Devill and all his works I renounce them all dost thou believe in God the Father c I do believe Dost thou promise to walk according to this Faith c I do promise For though it may be they conceived that men entred into the Church by Baptisme yet hereby it appears that their judgment was that when men entred into the Church there ought to be a renouncing of sin and believing on Christ and an open professing of these things with a promise to walk accordingly Secondly Though Popish Apostacy did afterwards for many ages over-spread all the Churches in England as in other Countries yet we believe God still reserved a remnant according to the Election of Grace amongst them for whose sake he reserved the Holy Scriptures amongst them and Baptisme in the name of the Trinity onely And when God of his rich Grace was pleased to stirre up the Spirit of King Edward the sixth and Queene Elizabeth to cast off the Pope and all fundamentall errors in Doctrine and Worship and a great part of the Tyranny of Popish Church Government though at first some Shires and sundry Parishes stood out against that Reformation for a time yet afterwards they generally received the Articles of Religion agreed upon Anno 1562. which are published and consented to by all the Ministers endowed in every Congregation with the silent consent also of the people and subscription of the hands of the chiefe of them wherein they do acknowledge no rule of Faith or manners but the holy Scriptures no divine Worship but to God onely no mediation nor salvation but in Christ onely no conversion by mans free will but by Gods free Grace no Justification but by Faith no perfection nor merit of works with sundry other necessary and saving truths all which containing the Marrow and Summe of the Oracles of God wich are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eloquia Des concredited onely to the Church Rom. 3. 1. 2. and which are that saving Doctrine of truth which is fruitfull in all the world where it comes ●olo 1. 5 6. and upon which the Church is grounded and built and which also it holdeth forth and maintaineth 1 Tim. 3. 15. we do therefore acknowledge that where the people do with common and mutuall consent gather into setled Congregations ordinarily every Lords day as in England they do to heare and teach this Doctrine and do professe their subjection therunto and do binde themselves and their