God to make them disciples and not to preach unto disciples only or members of the houshould The Apostles certainly had authority and preached by authority but they preached not to Infidells and Heathens as to disciples or members of the Church much lesse did they give a portion to them as to the houshold which is the preaching by office which you acknowledge Thirdly if under the power of the keyes you comprehend preaching by office dispensing the seales casting out and receiving againe into the bosome of the Church wee deny the power of the keyes to belong to the Church or community of the faithfull we cannot find in Scripture that Christ ever granted such power to the faithfull as faithfull joyned together in Covenant in those passages which speake of this power the execution of this authority is given to them to whom the authoritie is committed If the power of the keyes be given to the whole Church the Apostles themselves must derive their authoritie immediatly from the Church and not from Christ for the power must be derived from them unto whom it was given but their power and authority was not from the Church but from Christ immediatly And if the dispensation and exercise of the keyes be concredited to the Ministers Doth it hold in all things or onely in the dispensation of the Sacraments and preaching by office Doe they dispense the seales as the Stewards of Christ from whom they receive their authority immediately or as the servants of the Church from which they derive their authority If in the first sense the power of the keys is not in the community of the faithfull If in the second the office of a Minister is not the immediate gift of Christ nor the Minister so much the servant of Christ as of the Church from whom he must receive lawes in whose name he must doe his office and to whom he must give an account We could wish you had explained in what sense you hold the dispensation and execution of the power of the keyes is concredited to the Ministers and by whom For if the community of the faithfull have to doe in all matters concerning the body to admit members and cast them out to make and depose Ministers to bind and loose by authority derived from Christ wee cannot see how in your judgement the dispensation and execution of the power of the keyes is concredited to the Ministers Fourthly That which you add that God will not vouchsafe his presence and blessing to an ordinance but when it is dispenced by those whom hee hath ordayned and appointed thereunto must bee warily understood or it may occasion errors and distractions not a few You know what corruptions soone entred into the Church of God both in respect of Doctrine Worship Offices and entrance thereunto and how ready and apt is the conclusion from your words That Christ hath not vouchsafed his presence and blessing in his Ordinances to his Church But of this before And on the contrary seeing God hath vouchsafed his blessing in his Ordinances dispensed by your selves when you stood as visible Ministers in the congregation and Churches of old England you must confesse did approve both your standings and his Ordinances dispensed by you Secondly as for the Assumption that Pastors and Teachers are limited to a particular charge or society but that flock is not ever one congregationall assembly meeting in one place neither the band so streight whereby they are tied to that one society that they may not upon occasion performe some Ministeriall Act or Office in another congregation or to them that be not set members of their proper assembly For first to dispence the Seals of the covenant is a ministeriall act an act of Office and not an exercise of gifts onely But the Pastors of one Assembly may dispence the Sacrament to the set members of another society upon occasion as you confesse in this and in your answer to the ninth position And if the members of one Church may lawfully upon occasion receive the Sacrament of the Supper in another society from the Pastor thereof then may the Pastor of one congregation performe a Ministeriall act to the members of another and if to the members of another then in another congregation with consent and upon occasion Secondly As the Ministers are exhorted to feed their fleek so is every Christian and Minister to try and examine himselfe whether hee be in the faith but you will not allow this conclusion I must examine my self Ergo no man is debarred from the Sacrament for his unworthinesse or to be tried or examined by others to be observed admonished and brought to repentance for notorious sin No more can it be rightly gathered from the former passages of Scripture that the Minister is not upon occasion to performe any Ministeriall act to any other people or society because ordinarily he is to attend his own flock Thirdly As the Ministers have peculiar relation to their particular flocks so the people unto their particular Ministers unto whom they are ried in speciall manner as to their Overseers who must give account for theirsculs And if this peculiar relation betwixt the people the Minister doth not hinder the people from receiving the Lords Supper at the hands of another Minister nor the minister from performing the Ministeriall act to the members of another congregation Neither doth his peculiar Relation to his own flock hinder him from administring unto others upon just occasion being intreated thereunto As the combining of the people to their peculiar Minister doth not quite cut off their communion with other Ministers so neither doth the restraining of a Minister to a peculiar flock quite cut him off from administring upon occasion unto another people Paul appointeth the Ephesian Elders unto the care charg onely of their own particular flock but so to attend them ordinarily according to the rules of the Scripture that as occasion was offered might performe some Ministeriall acts in another congregation The taking heed unto their flocks which Paul requires in this place doth cōprehend under it the administration of the Word Prayer and Sacrament and if it must be restrained to their owne particular Churches onely it is unlawfull for a Pastor to preach or call upon the name of God in any publike Assembly save his own upon any occasion as these be duties prtaining to common confession or profession of faith Ordinary Pastors and Teachers it is true are not Apostles who are to go from place to place from Country to Country to plant and erect Churches but they are tied ordinarily to one flock as the Text proveth and to which purpose it is commonly cited But that a Pastor is so tied to his flock that he can perform no ministeriall act to any other upon any occasion that it proveth not nor can we find that it was ever so understood by Divines ancient or modern
same flock or societie in generall And so beleevers professing the faith and walking in holinesse may and ought to be admitted to the Seales as actuall members of the Church of Christ and sheep of his pasture though not set members of one congregationall Church 4. Not to insist upon this here that it hath and may fall out many times through ignorance rathnesse or pride of a prevailing faction in the Church that the true members of the Catholique Church and the best members of the Orthodox visible flock or Church of Christ may be no actuall members of any distinct Societie and shall they for this be accounted men out of Covenant and their posteritie be esteemed aliens and strangers but if they be in Covenant then are they holy in respect of the Covenant and their children holy as pertaining to the Covenant and have right to the Sacrament of initiation Thus Mr. Rob. frameth the argument The Sacrament of Baptisme is to be administred by Christs appointment and the Apostles example onely to such as are externally and so far as men can judge taught and made disciples do receive the Word gladly do beleeve and so professe have received the holy Ghost and to their seed And thus the Church of God ever since the Apostles dayes understood the covenant and promise and their practise in receiving beleevers and their seed to the Seales of the Covenant was answerable as might be shewed at large if it was not a thing confessed Hereunto you answer Answer VVHere the holy Ghost is given and received which was the case of the Centurion and where faith is professed according to Gods ordinance which was the case of the rest there none may hinder them from being baptised viz. by such as have power to baptise them In the Instances given baptisme was administred either by Apostles or Evangelists not ordinary Pastors the persons baptised if they were members of Churches had a right to baptisme in their state and the Apostles being Officers of all Churches might dispense the seales to them where ever they came which yet will not warrant ordinary Officers to do the same Nor is it improbable but that all these were in Church-order Aret on Act. 18. 1. is of opinion that the Centurion had a constituted Church in his house the Eunuches coming to Jerusalem to worship argueth him to be a Proselyte and member of the Jewish Church not yet dissolved and therefore upon the profession of the Christian faith capable of Church priviledges at that time As for Lydia and the Gaylor it appeareth that in the beginning of the Gospel there was a Church at Philippâ— which communicated with Paul as concerning giving and receiving As he expresly saith before his departure was from Macedonia which departure was immediately upon the Gaylors conversion In which respect what should hinder that Lydia and the Gaylor should first be joyned to the Church and then to be baptised though it be not mentioned in that story As neither there is mention of a Christian Church which Paul mentioneth in his Epistle to the Philippians At least it is probable that Lydia was a member of the Jewish Church because she is said to be one that worshipped God But if any man think they were not members of any Church yet baptised though we see not how it will be proved yet if it were so the object doth no whit weaken the argument which speaketh of the ordinary dispensation of the seales and not of what was done in an extraordinary way So that suppose that in the cases alledged baptisme dispensed to some that were not in Church-fellowship yet the examples of the Apostles and Evangelists in so doing will not warrant ordinary Pastors to do the like The reason of the difference why Apostles and Evangelists might administer Baptisme out of Church-order whereas Pastors and Teachers may not is double 1. Because their calling gave them illimited power over all men especially Christians wheresoever they came But we do not find that ordinarie Pastors and Teachers can do an act of power but onely over their own Church which hath called them to watch over them in the Lord. 2. Because they were assisted with an immediate direction and guidance of the holy Ghost in the places of their administration in the cases alledged But ordinary Church-Officers are to walke according to ordinary rules of the Scripture in the dispensation of the Seales and not to expect immediate inspirations and extraordinary revelations for their helpe in such cases This difference between Apostles and ordinary Church Officers must needs be acknowledged or otherwise a man might from their example justifie Baptisme in private houses Reply THis Answer stands of many parts wherein things doubtfull are affirmed and that which more weakeneth the force of the consideration before alledged and the Answer it selfe then of the reason whereunto it is applyed For First If where the holy Ghost is given and received and where faith is professed according to Gods ordinance there none may hinder them from being baptized viz. by such as have power to baptize them Then either men that have received the holy Ghost and professe the faith be members of the Church or Baptisme is not a priviledge of the Church then it is not essentiall to the first Institution of Baptisme that it should be dispenced to none but such as were entered into Church-fellowship or were set members of a congregationall Assembly Then the Apostles in dispensing the Seales unto such or commanding them to be dispenced did walk according to the rules of Scripture and upon grounds common to them and us viz. they admitted them unto the Sacraments who had right and interest to them according to the minde and pleasure of the Institutor not extraordinarily revealed besides the common rules or by speciall dispensation and prerogative excepted from the common rule but made knowne in the Institution it selfe And then the difficultie remaining is onely this whether a Pastor or Teacher hath authority from Christ to dispence the Seales of the Covenant to one who hath right and title to them and doth orderly desire that benefit because he is not as yet received as a set member of that particular societie which your practise in admitting of set members of other Congregations unto the Seales doth manifestly convince For if both have equall interest unto the Seales the Pastor upon lawfull suite and request hath equall authoritie to receive the one as well as the other Secondly In the particular Instances given it is not probable that Baptisme was evermore administred by Apostles or Evangelists For before the death of Christ the Disciples baptized when they were properly neither Apostles nor Evangelists After the death of Christ not to insist upon conjectures whether any assisted the Apostles in the baptizing of the first three thousand converted it is not certaine whether Peter baptized Cornelius and his family or commanded others then present with
ever in ordinary way the Sacraments were lawfully dispenced or received in the Christian Churches of God since the first foundation of them Now the premises being liable to so many exceptions the conclusion to be laid upon them will fall of it selfe And thereunto wee oppose the direct contrary That Infidels converted to the faith or godly Christians formerly visible beleevers knowne and approved members of Congregations professing the intire faith and joyning together in the lawfull use of the Sacraments for substance according to the Institution may and ought to desire and expect the Seales of the Covenant to be dispenced to them and to their seede though for the present they be not joyned into such Church-state and call of Ministers as you require Answer 7. Consideration THat our practise may not be censured as novell and singular give us leave to produce a President of the like care observed and approved by publick countenance of State in the dayes of Edward 6. of blessed and famous memory who in the yeare 1550. granted Johannes Alasco a learned Noble man of Poland under the great Seale of England libertie to gather a Church of strangers in London and to order themselves according as they should finde to be most agreeable to the Scriptures Among other godly orders established in that Church that which concerned the Administration of Baptisme to prevent the prophanation of it we will repeate in Alascoes owne words Baptisme in our Church saith he is administred in the publique Assembly of the Church after the publique Sermon for seeing Baptisme doth so belong to the whole Church that none ought to be driven thence which is a member of the Church nor to be admitted to it who is not a member of it truely it is equall that that should be performed publiquely in the Assembly of the whole Church which belongs to the whole Church in common Againe he addeth Now seeing our Churches are by Gods blessing so established by the Kings Majestie that they may be as it were one parish of strangers dispersed throughout the whole Citie or one body corporate as it is called in the Kings grant and yet all strangers doe not joyne themselves to our Church yea there are those who while they avoyde all Churches will pretend to the English Churches that they are joyned with us and to us that they are joyned to the English Churches and so doe abuse both them and us lest the English Churches and the Ministers thereof should be deceived by the impostures of such men and that under colour of our Churches wee doe baptize their Infants alone who have adjoyned themselves to our Churches by publique confession of their faith and observation of Ecclesiasticall discipline And that our Churches may be certaine that the Infants that are to be baptized are their seede who have joyned themselves thereto in manner aforesaid the father of the Infant to be baptized it possible he can or other men and women of notable credit in the Church doe offer the Infant to Baptisme and doe publickly professe that it is the seede of the Church yet wee suffer no stranger to offer Infants to Baptisme in our Churches who hath not made publique profession of his faith and willingly submitted himselfe to the Discipline of the Church lest otherwise they who present their children to Baptisme might in time plead that they belong to our Churches and so should deceive the English Churches and their Ministers To those which presented Infants to Baptisme they propounded three questions the first was Are these Infants which yee offer the seed of this Church that they may lawfully be here baptized by our Ministery c. Answer Yea. This Instance is the more to be regarded because Alasco affirmeth in the preface of that Book that this libertie was by the King granted to them out of his desire to settle alike reformation in the English Churches which in effect you see the same with our practise in this particular Reply THe practise of the Church of strangers in London recorded by John Alasco is farre different from your judgement and practise not in some by-circumstances but in the maine point in question for your judgement is that true visible beleevers baptized and partakers of the Lords Supper in other Churches not yet gathered into Church-estate or fellowship have no right or interest in the Seales they nor their seede But this Church of strangers held no such opinion as their own words which you have omitted doe plainly speake And Paul testifyeth say they that by Christs Ordinance the Church it selfe without exception of any member of it is to be accounted cleane or holy by the ministery of Baptisme Whence we may easily see that Baptisme doth neither belong to those who are altogether without the Church nor to be denyed to any member of the Church Secondly They held communion with the Church of England as one and the same with theirs For so they professe Yet neverthelesse that we may openly shew that the English Churches and ours are one and the same Church though we differ somewhat from them both in language and Ceremonies We doe not refuse that the English may as publick witnesses of the Church offer the Infants of our members to Baptisme in our Churches if they have both the use of our language and a certain testimony of their piety As in like manner our members are accustomed to offer the Infants of the English to Baptisme in the English Churches If your judgement be this of the English Churches your judgement in acknowledging us members of true Churches and practise in debarring visible beleevers and their seede from the Seales are opposite the one to the other Thirdly This order was observed by them to prevent the impostures of some who whilst they avoyded all Churches pretended to the English that they were joyned to the strangers and to the strangers that they were joyned to the English But you debarre knowne Christians who desire to joyne themselves with you not to prevent impostures of them who avoyde all Churches yea you debarre them as men having no right to the Sacraments because they be not in Church-fellowship and herein you can shew no president ancient or moderne either from Scripture or Monuments of the Church And as your practise is without example so without warrant from the word of God And this is the maine reason why we cannot consent unto you in this particular which we thus propound 1 Reason THat sacred order which God hath set in his visible Church for all his Saints to keep and walk by that is religiously to be observed But for men to set up that as a necessarie order which God never allowed approved or commanded is great presumption Now the Lord hath not ordained that a man should be a set member of a particular Societie or body politique of faithfull people joyned together in spirituall Church-fellowship by Covenant before he be admitted unto the Lords Supper
as erroneous we hope you will not be offended You know how oft it hath beene objected that Non-conformists in practice are Separatists in heart but that they goe crosse to their own positions or smother the truth for sinister ends They of the Separation boast that they stand upon the Non-conformist's grounds A vainglorious flourish and sleight pretence But both these are much countenanced by your sudden change if you be changed as it is reported How shall your brethren bee able to stand up in the defence of their innocencie and the uprightnesse of their cause when your example and opinion shall be cast in their dish Must they leave you now with whom they have held society Or will you plead for Separation which you have condemned as rash and inconsiderate You know that thy who have run this way have fallen into manifold divisions and may not you justly feare lest the same befall you Some warnings you have had already and have you not cause to feare every day more and more Errour is very fruitfull and will spread apace A cracke in the foundation may occasion a wide breach in the building where there will not be means or mind to amend it Experience every day may tutour us herein But to let passe all inconveniences our request in all meeknesse and love is that if these or any of the forementioned opinions be indeed your Tenants you would be pleased to take a second review of your grounds and send us your strongest reasons that have swayed you in these matters and if we shall find them upon due examination to be such as will carry weight we shall be ready to give you the right hand of fellowship if otherwise you shall receive our just and modest animadversions in what we conceive you have erred from the truth You will not judge if we cannot apprehend the strength of your grounds it is because we love not the truth or bee carryed with by-respects though these conceipts prevaile too much Such rigid and harsh censures cannot lodge in meeke and humble breasts Weighty reasons promote the truth not unadvised judging You your selves have judged that to be errour which now you take to be truth when yet you were not blinded with by-respects nor hudwinked your eyes that you might not see the light And if you have just warrant from God to pull downe what you have builded and to build what you have pulled downe we desire you would lovingly and maturely impart it for as yet we have scene none which we are not ready to prove and shew by the rule of truth to be too weake to carry any burthen We adore with you the fulnesse of the Scripture and we know the Counsell of the Lord shall stand if you can shew that you walke in the wayes of God we shall heartily rejoyce to walke with you but if you have turned aside we shall earnestly desire that you would be pleased seriously to consider the matter and speedily reforme what is out of order Thus not doubting of your favourable interpretation of this our motion for the preventing of distraction maintenance of peace and searching out of the truth whereby we may be directed to live to the praise of God the good of his people and comfort of our soules beseeching God to lead and guide us into all truth and holinesse and keepe us blamelesse untill his glorious appearance we rest Your loving Brethren An Epistle written by the Elders of the Churches in NEW-ENGLAND to those godly Ministers fore-mentioned that sent over the Positions Reverend and beloved Brethren IN these remote Coasts of the earth whereunto the good hand of God hath brought us as we doe with much comfort of heart call to mind the many gracious blessings which both with you and from you we injoyed in our Christian and holy communion the memory and fruit whereof we hope shall never be blotted out so we have also seen cause to looke back to our former administrations there and to search and trie our wayes that wherein soever we have formerly gone astray we might judge our selves for it before the Lord And that seeing now God hath set before us an open doore of libertie wee might neither abuse our libertie in the Gospel to runne out into any groundlesse unwarrantable courses nor neglect the present opportunitie to administer by the helpe of Christ all the holy ordinances of God according to the patterne set before us in the Scripture In our native Countrey when we were first called to the Ministery many of us tooke some things to be indifferent and lawfull which in after-times we saw to be sinfull and durst not continue in the practise of them there Afterwards some things that we bare as burthens that is as things inexpedient though not utterly unlawfull we have no cause to retain and practise the same things here which would not have been not onely inexpedient but unlawfull such things as a man may tollerate when he cannot remove them hee cannot tollerate without sinne when he may remove them Besides some things we practised there which wee speak to our shame and griefe which we never took into serious consideration whether they were lawfull and expedient or no but took them for granted and generally received not onely by the most Reformed Churches but by the most godly and judicious servants of God amongst them which neverthelesse when we came to weigh them in the ballance of the Sanctuarie we could not find sufficient warrant in the Word to receive them and establish them here of one of these three kinds will these our present practises appeare to be which you call our new opinions or Innovations here except it be some few of them which though they have been reported to you to be our Judgements and practises yet are indeed farre from us The partieulars are too many and too weightie to give you account of them and the ground of our proceedings about them in a Letter But to give you if it be the will of God the better satisfaction we have sent you a short Treatise touching each particular that according to your desire you might understand from us how farre we do acknowledge any of these tenents and upon what ground hoping that according to your promise if upon due examination you shall find any weight in them you will give us the right hand of fellowship But if otherwise you will send us your just and faithfull animadversions and we doe not suspect your loves to the truth or your sincere speaking according to your conscience in the sight of God Neither taxe we you as siding from the truth with by-respects whereof you complain verily we abhorre such rash harsh and presumptuous notoriousnesse we see as much cause to suspect the integritie of our own hearts as yours and so much the more as being more privie to the deceitfulnesse of our own hearts then to yours And we cannot but with much thankfulnesse of heart acknowledge
then the words are more then superfluous Added they were to prevent the objection which you foresaw might be made from the Apostles practice and example but so as they cut asunder the sinews of the consideration it selfe and make it of no force For as those beleivers were of the Church so are approved Christians and their seed among us therefore the priviledges of the seales belong unto them 2 And as the seales so is the word of salvation preached and received a priviledge of the Church If by the preaching of the word you understand nothing but the tender of salvation or the publishing of the will of God concerning the salvation of man whether by private or publike persons it is not proper to the Church but an ordinance given for the gathering of men to the Church and not only for the edifying of the Church For the Apostles first preached to the Gentiles when Infidels that they might be converted And we doubt not but a Minister or private Christian comming into a country of Infidells may as occasion is offered and as they shall be inabled instruct and perswade them to receive the faith of Christ but if by the preaching of the word be meant the giving of the word to a people to abide and continue with them and consequently their receiving of it at least in profession then it is proper to the Church of God The word makes disciples to Christ and the word given to a people is Gods covenanting with them and the peoples receiving this word and professing their faith in God through Iesus Christ is the taking of God to bee their God The lawes and statutes which God gave to Israell was the honour and ornament to that Nation and a testimony that God had separated them from all other people even the Gentiles themselves being Iudges The word of reconciliation is sent and given to the world reconciled in Iesus Christ and they that receive the doctrine law or word of God are the Disciples servants and people of God In your second consideration you intimate that there is a two fold preaching the one by office and authority the other in Common charity or how ever else it may be called For thus you write God hath joyned to preach viz by office and to baptize together therefore we may not separate them Now to preach unto that is to instruct or counsell in charity is a duty which may be performed to an infidell but to preach by office is proper to them that are called to that office and so to be taught and instructed by Officers in the Church is proper to the Church To have pastors who shall feed with knowledge and understanding is a gift of matrimoniall love which God vouchsafeth unto his Church The Apostles first gathered Churches and then ordained elders in everie Citie or Church so that it is proper to the Church to be fed and guided by true spirituall pastors who teach and blesse in the name of the Lord. And if the word preached and received bee a certaine note of the true Church they that have intyrely received the word of salvation and have Pastors godly and faithfull to feede and guide them they and their seed have right and interest unto the seales in order Moreover the true worship of God is an inseparable and infallible marke of the true Church of God for where Christ is there is his Church This is the prerogative of the church The Prince shall be in the midst of them and he shall go in when they goe in c. And Christ saith where 2. or 3. are met together in my name there am I in the middest among them And for certain they are gathered in the name of Christ that being lawfully called doe assemble to worship God and call upon his name in the mediation of Iesus Christ In times past the Church was acknowledged by the feare of God and entyre Service of his Majestie by the professing of the true faith and faithfull calling upon Gods name The signes of Apostolike Churches are these The continuance in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayer And if faith true and lively though mixed with many doubtings and errors make a man a living member of Iesus Christ the entyre profession of true faith joyned with holynesse of life in some measure answerable thereunto makes a man a true member of the visible Church And if the feales belong to the Church in right and orderly dispensation they that joyne together in the true worship of God according to his will with godly and faithfull pastors they have right and title to the Sacraments according to divine institution Thirdly that there is now no visible Catholike Church in your sense will easily bee granted i. e. there is no universall society consisting of all such as are accounted or to bee esteemed Christians subjected to one or many vniversall Pastors or guides wherwithall subordinates must communicate in some sacred things which may make them one Church and which may and can be performed by that vniversall and head Church only Such an vniversall Christian Church Christ never ordained no not in the dayes of the Apostles to whom all the care of all the Churches was committed The Churches planted by the Apostles had all the same substantiall lawes and customes the same guides and officers for kinde the same ordinances of worship and meanes of Salvation But one flock or Society in the fore mentioned acceptation they were not because they were but subordinate to one visible head Christ with which they were to hold union and communion in some worship to be performed by them all jointly assembled at some speciall solemnity nor subjected to the government of any supreame tribunall constantly to be erected and continued among them Neverthelesse in some respects of reason the visible Church may be called the Church sheepfold or flock of Christ for if the whole society or body mysticall of Christ be one this Church militant in like sort is one the unity of which society consists in that uniformity which all severall persons thereunto belonging have by reason of that one Lord whose servants they all are and professe themselves that one Spirit whereby they are animated as the body by one soul whereby they believe in Christ and which they acknowledge and professe that one Baptisme inward and outward whereby they put on Christ and are initiated This society is one in the inward fruition and enjoying of the benefits of Christs Death and Resurrection and in outward profession of those things which supernaturally appertain to the very essence of the Church and are necessarily required in every Christian this acceptation of the word is not unusuall in Scripture As God hath set some in the Church His bodies sake which is the Church The Church viz. whereof Paul was made a Minister and whereunto the rest of the Apostles were ordained
which was the Catholike visible Church the society of men professing the faith of Christ throughout the world divided into many particular Churches whereof some are pure others impure some more others lesse sound Hereunto it may be added that every multitude and society of believers are indefinitely called the Church I persecuted the Church of God The house of God which is the Church of the living God In which sense all the Churches in the world may truly be called one And thus the Apostle Peter writing to many dispersed Churches who could not assemble in one place nor be fed by one Shepherd speaketh of them singularly as one flock Feed the flock of God which is among you But that flock are the strangers dispersed through Pontus Galatia Asia Cappadocia and Bythinia which could not possibly joine together in the Ordinances of Worship or make one distinct congregated assembly And if the Catholike Militant Church be one Society the Seals that are given as a prerogative to the Church are given unto it and the true Members of the Catholike Church have right and title to them in due order though they be not admitted into the Church fellowship you speak of For as the flock or society is one so is the Ministery Faith Covenant and Sacraments which are given as a communion prerogative unto the whole Church and not appropriated to this or that part ormember as separated from the whole which is further evidenced hereby that sometime it hath and too often it may fall out that a Christian may be a true member of the universall visible Church i. e. he may hold professe and maintain that holy Catholike Faith pure and undefiled without which no man can be saved who for the present is no actuall member of any particular or visible society in Church order As for example a man may be cut off by Excommunication from all commerce with the present visible Church wherein hee was bred and born when hee is not cut off from the Catholike Orthodoxall Church Hee may be deprived of participation of the Ordinance in every particular society when his right and title to them is much better then these who have most injuriously cast him out or debarred him of the means of salvation The communion of Saints whether visible or invisible is the effect and property of the Church Catholike and agreeth to the severall parts and members thereof as they be members of that body under the head and if particular Churches have communion together it must of necessity be that they bee parts and members of the whole body which is one 4. Though there be no universall congregation or assembly nor can be imagined yet there are and have beene many visible assemblies or societies true Churches of Christ to whom the Prerogative of the Seals is given which have not beene united and knit together in Church-order into one congregationall body or society For every society in covenant with God is the true Church of God for what is it to be the flock people or sheepe of God but to be the Church of God And where there is a Covenant there is the people of God They that are of the faith of Abraham are the children and seed of Abraham and within the Covenant of Abraham though but two or three and so of the same Church with him by that covenant The communication and accepting of the tables of the covenant is an undoubted token of a people in covenant or confederate but every society professing the true and entire faith joyning in prayer and thankesgiving receiving the truth of God to dwell among them and in some measure conforming themselves to the obedience of Gods Commandements is in covenant with God It is simply necessary to the being of a Church that it be laid upon Christ the foundation which being done the remaining of what is forbidden or the want of what is commanded cannot put the society from the title or right of a Church For Christ is the foundation and head corner stone of the Church and a people comming unto Christ united unto him built upon him having communion with him and growing up in him are the true Church of God and if the seals be annexed to the covenant by God himselfe as we cannot deny a people in covenant to be the Church so we must not deny their right and title to the Sacraments If therefore the meaning of the proposition be that the seales be given to the Church that is to true and sound Christians and people in covenant with God as a priviledge whether in ordinary or extraordinary dispensation we accept it as good and sound but it makes against your judgement and practice in keeping away such as have right and title to the ordinances If you meane the seales are given to the Church that is onely to set members of some particular society combined by covenant as it is among you we cannot receive it because it implieth a distinction not taught in Scripture and crosse to your selves And for the thing it selfe the Scripture hath nothing but many things against it as hath beene shewed 5 If it be granted that the seales are the prerogative of a particular visible Church known and approved Christians among us and their seed are members of true and visible Churches and so to be esteemed among you before they be entred into Church membership as you call it For every society professing the intire and true faith and joyning together in the right use of the Sacraments in matters substantiall is the true Church of God and every visible beleever receiving the word and professing the true intire faith admitted to the right and lawfull participation of the Sacraments is a visible member of the true Church if he have neither renounced that society nor deserved justly to be cast out by excommunication or Church censure For the intire profession of the truth the dwelling of the truth among men the right use of the Sacraments which is ever joyned with truth of Doctrine and to be esteemed by it is proper to them that be in covenant with God And they that truly partake of the Seales must needes be of a Church for the seales are not without but within the Church an ordinance given unto it and if they be true members of the true Churches of Jesus Christ other Churches are bound to hold communion with them in the ordinance of worship as divine providence shall minister occasion In answer to the ninth position you say the members of other Churches well known and approved by vertue of communion wich Churches doe mutually and with good acceptance communicate each of them at others Churches even so often as Gods providence leads them thereunto and themselves desire it In your preface to this consideration you say you admit to fellowship of the seales the known approved and orderly recommended members of any true Church and if knowne and
approved Christians members of our Churches comming over into New England shall desire either to have their children baptized or to be admitted themselves to the Lords Supper before they be set members of any society these we desire to know upon what grounds from God you can deny them if you acknowledge our Churches Ministery and Sacraments to be true and of God as you professe and the members of the Church be known and approved orderly recommended unto you It is the priviledge of Christians baptised themselves and walking in the faith that their children should have right to baptisme in all true Churches in the world It is the priviledge of Christians lawfully and justly admitted to the Lords Supper in one visible Church and walking in covenant with God that they have right to this priviledge in all Churches professing their intire faith and you must shew just and sound reasons from God of your judgement and practice in debarring their seed from baptisme and parents themselves from the Supper or else to use the words of a reverend Elder among you in a case of lesse importance and not concerning so many you will be found guilty of adding to the words and making eleven Commandements and setting up humane customes and selfewill against Gods appointment For the Sacraments are given to the Church as a priviledge peculiar thereunto but you deny this priviledge to the true visible members of the Church as your selves confesse For if the Ministers be the Ministers of Christ and their congregations the Churches of Christ then knowne and approved Christians are members of the Church In your opinion the members of the Jewish Church might be received unto baptisme upon confession of the Christian faith before they were entred into Church fellowship and it is more then strange to us that you should not thinke the true visible members of the Churches of Christ to have as much title and interest to the Seales as the members of the Jewish Church to the Sacrament of Baptisme 6 The distinct Churches mentioned in the New Testament it is not certain that they were congregationall societies consisting onely of so many as might and did meete together ordinarily in one place at one time for the publike worship of God and their own edification and if this were granted it would not carry the weight that was laid upon it But because it may make way for the clearing of some other points pertaining to discipline and Church orders we intreat leave to set downe and desire you to examine what may be objected against it We will not insist upon this that the least circuite wherein there is mention of Churches is ample enough to containe some diocesses and the least City populous enough to make many numbersome congregations Nor upon this that to meete at one time and one place as one assembly is a thing meerely accidentary to the unity of the Church and society Ecclesiasticall which is still one when they are dispersed asunder and no particular man of that society at first remaining now alive The number of beleevers was so great in some Cities as they could not conveniently meete in one place as one assembly to worship the Lord according to his will and for their edifying That there was a Church gathered in the City of Samaria by the ministery of Phillip will not be denyed for they received the word and were baptised but that the Church in that City was onely a congregationall assembly is more then can probably be concluded out of Scripture For the whole City or the greatest part could not ordinarily assemble in one place to their edification But the whole City of Samaria in a manner as it is probable imbraced the faith As the whole City from the least to the greatest had given heede to Simon Magus before so to Phillip now when he preached Christ And the Text saith expresly that Samaria received the Gospell The Christian Church at Ierusalem was one and distinct but it grew and increased first to 3000. then to 5000. afterwards multitudes of men and women were added and the multitude of Disciples increased it is also noted that a company of the Priests received the faith The Syriacke hath it of the Jews scil inhabiting Judea but the Greeke Arabian vulgar Chrisostoms Ethiopians approve the former and the number of the Priests was not small there is mention also of millions of beleevers And when all the Apostles or the greatest part of them remained at Jerusalem for a time continuing in the ministery of the word and prayer and that they might doe it the more earnestly and diligently left the care of the poore to others how can we thinke but that Church did grow exceedingly and the number of beleevers there to be more then could fitly meete ordinarily in one congregation Without question the number of beleevers in Antioch was not small of which it is said expresly that a great number beleeved turned to the Lord and that a great multitude was added to the Lord by the preaching of Barnabas and that Paul and Barnabas continued there one whole yeere preaching the word of God and teaching the multitude so that the Disciples were first called Christians at Antiach After that this Church was visited by Paul and Barnabas who continued there teaching and preaching the Word of God with many others also and may wee not thinke that this Church did quickly rise to such bignesse that they could not well assemble in one congregation as now wee call them It will easily be credited that the number of believers was not small at Ephesus if we call to minde that when Paul had been there but two yeers all they that dwelt in Asia had heard the word of the Lord both Iews and Grecians that a great doore and effectuall was opened to him at Ephesus That the art for making Shrines and Dianaes Temple was in danger to be set at nought and that those that had used curious arts came and burnt their books in the sight of all men which could not be done without great danger unto the Church unlesse a great part of the City had believed Where a Church did comprehend a City with its Suburbs and the Country circumjacent i. e. the believers who professed the faith within that circuit It might well be that the number did so increase through the extraordinary blessing of God which accompanied the preaching of the word in those primitive times and first planting of the heavenly Kingdome that they could not well meet ordinarily in one place and yet continued one Society For when a number is gathered in small Villages or some added to the number already gathered it is not meet they should be neglected because small nor divided from the body because the number not competent to make an intire and perfect body of it selfe The increase of the Churches doth require an increase of Elders and if they grow
relation to their flocks onely and must not meddle beyond their calling according to your tenent 11 There is no precept or example in Scripture more to warrant the admitting of a set member of one congregation unto the Supper in another or the baptising of his child occasionally in another assembly then there is for receiving of knowne and approved Christians and their seede that are not set members The Pastor is no more the pastor of the one then of the other nor the one more of his flock then the other neither of them set members and both sorts may be members for the time being and they most properly who are of longest abode among them But as we heare it is frequent among you as at Dorchester c. to baptise the children of another Assembly and usually you admit to the Supper of the Lord members of other Churches and therefore the Minister is not so limited to his particular Church or flock but he may dispence the seales to others which in this consideration is denyed 12 If the want of one Officer in a Congregation for a time may be supplyed by another as the want of the Doctor Ruling Elder or Deacon by the Pastor why may not the defects of some Congregation or Christians be supplyed by Pastors or Ministers of another Congregation when they are requested and desired the minde herein is godly and the means lawfull and well pleasing unto God 13 And if a Synod consisting of sundry members of particular Churches met together in the name of Christ about the common and publike affaires of the Churches shall joyn together in prayer and communion of the Supper wee can see no ground to question it as unlawfull although that Assembly be no particular Congregation or Church hath no Pastor over them make not one Ecclesiasticall body as a particular Congregationall Church unlesse it be for the time onely The Minister therefore may do an act of office to them that be not set members of his flock as he may stand in Relation to them for the time 14 Your comparison betwixt an Officer of a Town Corporate and of a particular Congregation is not alike unlesse you will say that a member of another Corporation occasionally comming into the Towne is thereby a member of that Society and subject to the authority of the Officer For so you professe that the members of one Society may occasionally communicate with another and so be subject to the Pastor for the time being which if you grant it overthrows the whole strength of this consideration Howsoever the comparison it selfe is very perilous if it be pressed For if the Officer of a Town Corporate presume to doe an act of power out of his owne Corporation it is a meer nullity but if a Minister of the Gospell dispence the Sacrament of Baptisme or the Lords Supper to believers of another Society though done without consent it was never deemed or judged a nullity in the Church of God Let the comparison hold good and most Christians have cause to question whether they be truly baptized or ever lawfully received the Sacrament of the Lords Supper If it may not be doubted whether ever the Sacraments of the New Testament were truly or by authority dispenced especially if we consider what follows in the other considerations This Argument from comparison is very usuall in the Writings of Brethren against communion with our Churches but for the most part greatly mistaken to say no more Answer 3 Consideration CIrcumcision and the Passoever were to be administred onely to the members of the Church Ergo Baptisme and the Lords Supper is so to be administred also The consequence is made good by the parity of these Ordinances For if the Argument hold strong for the proofe of Paedo-Baptisme which is taken from the circumcision of Infants why may we not as well infer a necessity of Church membership to Baptisme from the necessity of it to circumcision And that Circumcision was peculiar to the Church members of the Church may appeare in that persons circumcised onely they might eat the Passeover and they onely might enter into the Temple which were the priviledges of Church members In our answer to the second Objection against the first consideration we have shewed that Circumcision was not administred to all that were under the Covenant of Grace which all believers were but onely such of them as joyned themselves to the Church at first in Abrahams family whereunto Baptisme doth so far answer that the Apostle counteth these expresse equivalent to be circumcised in Christ with circumcision made without hands and to be buried with Christ in Baptisme Indeed in somethings they differ as onely the Males were circumcised whereas with us Females are also baptized The Reason is because God hath limited Circumcision to the Males but under the Gospel that difference is taken away Againe Circumcision was administred in the private family but Baptisme onely in the publick Assemblies of the Church The Reason of this difference is because they were bound to circumcise the Males on the eighth day but that could not stand with going to the Temple which was too far off for the purpose to bring every child thither from all parts of Judaea to be Circumcised the eighth day Nor had they alway opportunity of a solemne convention in the Synagogue on every eighth day when some child or other might be to be circumcised But there is no precise day set downe so Baptisme nor are opportunities of publick Assemblies so remote where Churches are kept in a congregationall frame but that every first day of the week Baptisme may be administred if it be required Again for the Aforesaid Reason Circumcision required not a peculiar Minister for ought we finde in Scripture but it is not 〈◊〉 in Baptisme as was shewd in the second Consideration But no good Reason can be given why in this they should not both agree viz. that they are both to be dispensed onely to members of the visible Church as it hath been proved in the first Consideration Reply THis whole Reason as it is propounded makes onely against it selfe who eveâ— thought that the Seals of the Covenant were not proper to confederates or thâ— Church of God But of old all visible Believers under the Covenant of Grace walking in holinesse were of the visible Church and in Church Order according to the dispensation of those times though not joyned in externall society with the Family of Abraham And to exclude Melchisedeck or Iob because they were nâ—â— members of the visible Church when yet they were visible Believers under the Covenant of Grace and in Church Order as those times required is well-nigh a contradiction And so it is to debar known and approved Christians members of ouâ— Congregation and their seed from the Seals because they be not of the visible Church for they are members of the Church and so to bee held and
Passeover in any societie in the place which God should chuse to put his Name there Exod. 12. 4. 47. Deut. 16. 1 2. So all baptised persons have true and intire right to the Lords Supper in everie true Church where God hath set his Name Thirdly there is not the same reason of every Church priviledge for one may have right to some who is not to meddle with others The members of one society may hear the Word joyne in Prayer and receive the Sacraments in another when they are not to meddle in the election and ordination of their teachers The Ministers of the Gospel may preach the Word and administer the Sacraments in another congregation and hereto he needs no other calling but that God offers an opportunitie there is much need of his help and he is intreated or hath leave from them in place or office but he is not to admit members into the societie or cast them out that be admitted And if the Pastor of one Church shall preach or administer the Sacraments in another contrary to the liking and approbation of the Society and Governours though the act be irregular it was never esteemed a nullitie but if he shall presume to excommunicate the members of another societie without the consent oâ— the Church and approbation of Pastors and Teachers under whose charge and jurisdiction they live it hath been judged a meer nullity Therefore the proposition is not so evident as to be taken without proofe that they have no power to admit a beleever into communion in any Church priviledge who have no power to excommunicate Fourthly that visible beleevers baptised into a true Church professing the true faith and walking in holy obedience and godly conversation that they and their seed should be judged such as are without in the Apostles sense because they be not externally joyned as set members to some particular congregation in Church-Covenant is affirmed not proved 1. It hath and may fall out many times through the ignorance rashnesse or pride of a prevailing faction in the Church that the true members of the Catholique Church and the best members of the orthodox visible flock or congregation of Christ may be no members of any distinct visible societie And shall their posteritie be esteemed Aliens and Strangers from the Covenant and debarred from the Sacraments because their parents are unjustly seperated from the inheritance of the Lord Surely as parents unjustly excommunicated do continue still not onely true members of the invisible body but visible members of the flock of Christ so the right of Baptisme doth belong to the Infants of such parents though not actuall and constant members of this or that present assembly in Church order 2. If they be without because no members of a politike bodie or spirituall fellowship then all members which are of one societie are without to another For they that be not of the bodie are not capable of Church censures or subject to the authoritie one of another And so not being under the judgement of that particular Church to it they are without whereas in ancient and moderne times distinct Societies did communicate together admit and receive each other as brethren to testifie their fellowship in the faith If the reason whereupon the Apostle saith the Church of Corinth was not to judge them that were without was because they were not within the Church of Corinth and so not under their censure or judgement this holds true of them that be of another society admitted to the Sacrament as well as of such as be no set members desiring to be received to the Lords Supper 3. The fornicators of this world do they not explaine whom the Apostle pointeth unto by the title of being without ver 10. 11. such as had not received the covenant of grace 4. Church order is necessarie we denie not but this order that a man should be a constant and set member of a particular societie by covenant to make him a true member of the visible Church or to give him title or interest to the publick order this is not taught of God 5. Paul divides all men into two ranks the first and greater without the last and lesser within but that beleevers who have received the holy Ghost and have been baptised into Jesus Christ that they and their children should be reckoned among them that are without that we read not in this nor any other Scripture but in phrase of Scripture hereticks themselves are within the Church 6. The beleevers not yet gathered as the godly learned think into a certain distinct body are called beleevers brethren disciples but that they should be comprehended under them that are without it hath not been beleeved in the Church 7. Without saith the Apostle whether alluding to this place or not let others judge are dogs inchanters whoremongers not such as are called faithfull and holy walking in integritie beleeving in and professing Jesus Christ to be their Saviour 8. They that are without in the Apostes sense are Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel strangers from the covenant of promise having no hope and without God in the world but we hope you will not passe such rash and unadvised censure upon your brethren who be not gathered into your societie as set members 9. Let the interpretation stand and he is without not onely who is no set member of some congregationall Assembly but he that is not subject to the censure of the community of that particular combination few or many with or without Officers And so all the reformed Churches in the world who ascribe the power of the keyes to the Presbitry or Classes and not to the community and some amongst your selves if not the most shall be without also And therefore we cannot think approved Christians desiring to be received unto the Sacrament either to be without or uncapable of Church censures for the time being if they should offend though not set members of any particular congregation for desiring baptisme for their children or themselves to be admitted to the Lords Supper for the time they put themselves under the ordinance of Jesus Christ there And as they are members for the time so they might be proceeded against according to the rule prescribed by our Saviour as they would proceed with an offending member 10. If upon just and good reason a passage of Scripture can be cleared to prove that for which it was never alledged by any writer we are not to except against any truth of God because it wanteth mans testimonie Onely if we desire credit in such cases our reasons must be weightie and convincing But for your exposition of this text of Scripture as yet we have not observed one substantiall ground or approved author to be alledged Doctor Ames shewing the necessitie of Christians ioyning themselves to some particular Church giveth this reason Quoniam alias fieri non potest quâ—â— conturbentur signa illa quibus
him to baptize them the words may be read Et jussit eos baptizari in nomine Domini Syr. Arab. Praecepit eis ut baptizarentur The Interlineary glosse leaveth it doubtfull Associis suis vel a scipso Others are of opinion that Peter did baptize them himselfe It cannot be proved that Philip and Ananias were both Evangelists when the one baptized the Samaritans and the Eunuch the other Paul Paul himselfe baptized but a few as he testifieth of himselfe and reason to convince that others converted by his preaching were baptized by Evangelists we know not any And if Philip Ananias and others might baptize such as had right and title to the Seales being as yet no set members of any particular Congregation and a Congregation destitute of their proper Pastor may desire another to baptize their Infants and dispence the Sacrament of the Supper to them in that their necessitie And if the members of one Congregation may lawfully communicate in another then may the Pastors of particular Congregations upon occasion admit to the Seales of the Covenant such known and approved Christians as have right and title thereunto and duely and orderly require the same for of all these the reason is like and perpetuall Thirdly It is very improbable that the persons baptized were in Church-state or order If they were members of the Jewish Church not yet dissolved this is not to the purpose for men have not right to Baptisme because they were members of the Jewish Church but because Disciples and as you say joyned together in Covenant and have fellowship and calling of their Minister who is to dispence the Seales unto them And Baptisme is the Sacrament of initiation not into the Jewish but the Christian Churches Secondly when you say the Seales in ordinary dispensation are the priviledges of the Churches There are no Ministers but of particular Churches Baptisme and the Lords Supper are to be administred onely to the members of the Church No societie may lawfully desire the Seales unlesse they have joyned in the choice and calling of their Minister Beleevers not yet joyned in Church-order are without Doe yee not in all these understand a Christian societie united in a Church-way c. which cannot agree to the members of the Jewish Church not yet dissolved Thirdly The constitution of the Church saith Mr. Robin is the orderly collection and conjunction of the Saints into and in the Covenant of the New Testament but the members of Jewish Churches not yet dissolved were not in such constitution If the Eunuch and Centurion were proselytes and members of the Church of the Jewes The Samaritanes whom Philip baptized were not so And that any Gentiles or the Gailor whom Paul baptized in the Apostles times were set members of a Christian Assembly before baptized is very strange If there was a Church at Philippi yet the Gailor who was baptized and converted the same night could not be a set member by solemne admission before Baptisme It is said the Apostles baptized these persons in an extraordinary way But in this practise of the Apostles two things are to be considered 1. The circumstance of the action 2. The qualitie or substance of the act In some circumstances the baptizing of some of these persons might be extraordinary but the substance and qualitie of the action was grounded upon rules perpetuall and common to us with them 1. That is done in an extraordinary way which by peculiar priviledge of dispensation is made lawfull to some one or few men which is unlawfull to all others not having the same dispensation but where the ground and reason of the action is common we must not conceive the thing to be done in an extraordinary way by speciall dispensation What was done by the Apostles upon speciall revelation and immediate direction besides the ordinary and common rule in that wee are not to immitate or follow them because we have not their warrant But what they did upon reasons and grounds reaching unto us no lesse then unto them in that we have the same libertie allowance or commandement that they did walk by In one and the same action there may be and oft is something ordinary something extraordinary or peculiar to speciall times or persons So it was in the Apostles administration of the Seales but in every place where they came by illimited power as you speake they did baptize Disciples if they did baptize this was proper to them and could not be communicated to any others by them For there is no passage of Scripture which teacheth this that one Officer may communicate his power to another or doe that which particularly belongeth to his office by a Deputie But that they baptized beleevers professing their faith in the Lord Jesus and repentance towards God such as had gladly imbraced the Word and received the gifts of the holy Ghost this was common to them with all Pastors and Teachers because they did it not by power illimited or speciall dispensation but upon this standing perpetuall reason that the promise was made to them and to their seede and to as many as the Lord shall call that they had received the holy Ghost and the kingdome of heaven belonged to them And if the grounds and reasons of their practise be common reaching to us no lesse then unto them the practise it selfe was not extraordinary To say nothing that this Answer will not stand with the former for if the parties baptized were set members of particular Societies the Apostles did not baptize them in an extraordinary way they did it by the guidance and direction of the Spirit that is true but not by guidance of dispensation or prerogative whereby that was made lawfull without such inspiration had been unlawfull But they were infallibly guided to doe that which was according to the word of God and might stand for our direction that in case it be orderly desired a Pastor hath authoritie in his owne Congregation to receive knowne and approved Christians to the seales of the Covenant hath been proved before If the Apostles dispenced the seales onely to the Church Disciples faithfull who received the doctrine of salvation with gladnesse of heart and were partakers of the holy Ghost then they dispenced the seales in an ordinary way for such have title and interest to the seales by the Institution and appointment of God And every Pastor by his Office may and ought to dispence the seales unto such within the bounds and limits of his calling But the Apostles dispenced the seales onely to the Church Disciples faithfull c. 2. An Argument followeth necessarily from particular example to a generall when one particular is proved by another particular by force of the similitude common to the whole kinde under which those particulars are contained But the practise of the Apostles in baptizing Disciples and faithfull by force of similitude common to the whole kinde agreeth with the practise of Ministers receiving to
judge many times if they arrogate such power unto themselves wee allow not rashnesse or precipitancy pride or self-conceitednesse we know it is meete that weightie matters should be mannaged by Councell but it is not necessary to bring every particular thing to the whole Church In the multitude of Councellors there is peace but over many Councellors oft causeth distraction and different apprehensions breed delayes The nature of your Church-Covenant as you describe it inferreth not a necessitle of bringing every such businesse unto the Church for you binde your selves mutually to watch over one another and in love to admonish one another in the Lord to prevent sinne and to encourage in well-doing as it concerneth every man within the limits of his place and calling But this essentially tyeth not any man to a perpetuall residence in one place for then even occasionall absence should be a breach of Covenant unlesse it be by consent and approbation of the Church You say in your Covenant you promise to performe no new dutie to your brethren which was not before commanded of the Lord but onely revive and renew your purposes afresh of performing such duties to that particular body into which you are then to be incorporated as were before injoyned in the Word But in the word of truth it is not commanded either expresly or by consequent that no member of a Congregation should remove or occasionally be absent from the place of his habitation before he have acquainted the Church whither he goeth and upon what occasions and whether the place be dangerous where he is likely to be infected or safe where he may be edified These things are matters of weight and to be undertaken with advice but the knowledge thereof belongeth not to every particular member of the societie And the Church shall burden her selfe above measure if she take upon her to intermeddle in all such occasions Neither is it safe to commit the determination of such matters ever to the vote of the multitude or weight of reasons as they shall apprehend the matter And if such businesse must be determined on the Lords day and to goe before the administration of the Word Sacraments and almes least the holy things be polluted by notorious obstinate offenders wee feare the time appointed for the exercise of Religion shall be prophaned with unseasonable disputes Instances might be alledged if it were a matter to be insisted upon As for the Covenant it selfe which you mutually enter into if therein you exact nothing but what God requires both for tryall and stipulation far be it that we should disallow it but if yee constraine men to meddle with things that belong not to them and winde them up higher then God would and straine every thing to the pitch that you seeme here to doe in this branch a godly and sober minde may well pause before he make such promise All members of the Church are not equally necessary to the preservatiō of the whole body if to the removall of some it were expedient to have the cōsent not only of the whole society but of neighbouring societies Ministers especially it is very much to draw this to the removall or abode of every particular member And if any man shall not intermeddle with every businesse of this kinde as questioning whether it doth belong to him or no or not aske the advice of the whole societie as knowing the most to be unfit to counsell in such a case doth he break his Covenant therein and so commit a sinne in a sort like the sinne of Ananias and Saphira Judge your selves if in other cases you would not censure this to be an high incroachment upon Christian libertie and a strict binding of mens consciences by humane constitutions May you not expect to heare from your own grounds that herein you have devised an expedient or necessary rite or custome to preserve the unitie and prevent the dissolution of the body which never came into the minde of the Lord Jesus the Saviour of the Church and that in so doing if your exposition will hold good you breake the second Commandement Rites and customes expedient to prevent confusion for the time let them be observed as customes expedient and what God requires in the examination or admission of members let that take place according to the presidents given in the Scriptures and the constant practise of the universall Church in the purest times But to presse customes onely expedient for the time as standing rules necessary at all times and for all persons to put that authoritie into the hands of men which God never put upon them to oblige men to intermeddle further in the affaires of men then the Word doth warrant to binde the conscience and that under so heavy a penalty as the sinne of Ananias and Saphira where God hath not bound it and to debarre known and approved Christians from the Seales of the Covenant because they cannot promise as setled members to abide and stay in the societie unlesse they shall obtaine leave of the Congregation to depart and to charge them in the meane season to be men who against light refuse subjection to the Gospel this is that which we cannot approve which yet wee suspect will follow from your judgement and desire to be resolved of in your practise And here we intreat leave to put you in minde of that which you have considered already schil That the Church and every member thereof hath entred into Covenant either expresly or implicitely to take God for their God and to keepe the words of the Covenant and doe them to seeke the Lord with all their hearts and to walke before him in truth and uprightnesse but we never finde that they were called to give account of the worke of grace wrought in their soules or that the whole Congregation were appointed to be Judge thereof You stand all of you this day saith Moses before the Lord your God c. that thou shouldst enter into Covenant with the Lord thy God All the people that were borne in the Wildernesse Joshua circumcised but it is incredible to thinke that among that great multitude there was not one who did not give good testimony of the worke of grace in his soule We reade often times that Israel after some grievous fall and revolt renewed their Covenant to walke with God to serve him onely and to obey his voyce as in the dayes of Joshua the Judges David Samuel Also Joash Josiah and Nehemiah c. But no particular enquiry was made what worke of grace God had wrought in the hearts of every singular person But the confession and profession of obedience was taken When John Baptist began to preach the Gospel and gather a new people for Christ he admitted none to Baptisme but upon confession of their sinnes but we reade of no question that he put forth unto them to discover the worke of grace in their soules