The Christian Religion Expressed, Proclamation 1
The Agreement of the Associated PASTORS.
I. WE do each one for himself,Art. 1. For an holy exemplary life. profess our Resolution,2 Chron. 15. 12, 13, 14, 15. Act. 20. 28. 1 Tim. 4. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. and 3. 1, &c. and 5. 17, 21. 1 Pet. 5. 2, 3. in the strength of Christ, to be faithful and diligent in the works of our Ministry; and to live an holy and exemplary life, in Piety, Justice and Charity, according to the measure of our abilities: Especially watching against those sins that tend to the corrupting or dividing of the Church, and to the hindring of our Ministry; and to the dishonour of the Gospel, and of our holy profession.
II. We do profess our Agreement and Resolution in the strength of Christ,Art. 2. For teaching all that will submit. to be faithful and diligent in publick Preaching the Gospel: And in the personal instructing of all in our Parishes, or undertaken limits, that will submit thereto; teaching the Ignorant the Principles of Religion; endeavouring in Love, Compassion and Meekness, and yet with seriousness and zeal, to convince the erroneous and opposers, to awaken the presumptuous and secure, and help them to try the state of their souls, and to see and feel their sin and misery, and return to God by Christ that they may live: to strengthen the weak; to raise the faln; to edifie and confirm the strong; and to comfort such as need consolation; and to help them all to prepare for death and judgement, and for everlasting life: And all this, as frequently, constantly and orderly, as our strength, and time, and greater duties will permit.
III. That the Churches may be capable of the Discipline of Christ,Art. 3. For a personal profession of Christianity to be made by all that will be taken for adult members, and partake of their Communion. and constituted and ruled according to the Word of God, and the ends of our Office and Labours may be attained, we are Agreed and Resolved to take none for Adult members of the Churches committed to our special charge, nor admit them, as such, to Church-Communion and Priviledges, but those that have first made some personal credible Profession of true Christianity, that is, of Faith and Obedience, and as members of those Churches, submit to our Pastoral over-sight according to the Word of God. But all that make this Profession of Christianity and Consent to live in Communion with the Church, and under the Ministry and Discipline of Christ, we shall receive, though they be weak in knowledge, and utterance, and duties; and shall faithfully imploy our Ministerial abilities and care for their edification and salvation.
IV. We are Agreed and Resolved in the strength of Christ,Art. 4. For publick worship. while we have ability and opportunity, to Congregate the people, and hold constant Assemblies, especially on the Lords-Dayes; and therein faithfully to perform the works of our office, in Reading the holy Scripture, Preaching, Praying, Baptizing, Praising God, celebrating the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, and guiding the people in the whole publick worship of God: And to manage our work with as much prudence, and reverence, and love, and compassion to the peoples souls, and with as much plainness and convincing evidence, authority, seriousness, and zealous importunity as we can: Avoiding as far as we are able, such things as corrupt and dishonour Gods Ordinances, and tend to corrupt the peoples minds with errour, presumption, deadness, negligence, or other distempers, displeasing to the Lord.
V. For the ends of our Office,Art. 5. For Discipline. in obedience to the Lord, we Agree and Resolve in the strength of Christ, to exercise so much of Church-Government and Discipline, in the Churches committed to our charge, as we discern to be our certain duty; that is, to keep order and decency in the holy Assemblies, and see that all be done to edification: Convicting seducers, and stopping the mouthes of perverse gain-sayers; Overseeing the several members of our charge; and requiring them to walk obediently to Christ, and do their duties towards each other: to Reprove the gross and scandalous offenders: and if they continue impenitent or unreformed, to tell the Church, or rebuke them before all; (and publickly pray for their recovery): And if they hear not the Church, but remain impenitent and unreformed, after sufficient reproof and patience, to put away such persons from among us, declaring against them the threatnings of the Lord, and requiring them to forbear Communion with the Church, and requiring the Church to avoid them, and have no familiarity or communion with them, as persons unmeet for the communion of Saints. And those that credibly profess Repentance, we are to Absolve Ministerially in the name of Christ, and comfort with the promises of Grace; receiving them, and requiring the people to receive them, as Brethren, into their Communion: but warning them to watch and sin so no more, lest worse befall them. This holy Discipline, by the help of God, we shall exercise faithfully and impartially, but yet with caution and moderation; neglecting no necessary consultations with other Pastors, or concurrence of the Church: and consenting to be responsible for male-administrations.
VI. For the Communion of Churches,Art. 6. For Communion of Churches by Associations. and the strengthening our selves for the work of God, and helping one another therein, and maintaining Unity, Love and Concord; We do Consent to hold a Brotherly communion and correspondency: And to that end, when necessity or greater duty hindreth us not, we shall meet at such convenient times and places, as shall be appointed or agreed on from time to time; and shall labour to improve these meetings to our mutual edification, in such consultations, conferences or other holy exercises, as our present case shall most require. And we consent to deal faithfully in advising and admonishing one another; and for the satisfaction of the Brethren (to the fore-mentioned ends) to be responsible, if any shall charge us with Heresie, scandal, schism, or male-administration: And forbearing matters without our line, to study and endeavour the promoting of Truth, and Holiness, and Unity among our selves, and with other Churches, as we have a call.
And also we agree by communicatory Letters upon all needful occasions, to certifie our Brethren and other Churches of the state of our affairs, and of particular members, that those that justly have communion in one Church, or are excluded, may have communion with other Churches, or be refused by them accordingly, when there is just occasion.
And if any Brethren or Churches be prevailed over so far by temptation, as unjustly to deny us their communion, in this way of Association, Assemblies, or Correspondency, we shall not therefore deny them to be our Brethren, or Churches of Christ, but shall Love and Own them, and have so much Communion with them, as their distance shall leave them capable of, if they joyn with us in the Profession and Practice of true Christianity, and of the points that are necessary to Church-constitution and communion, and are not proved guilty of heresie, ungodliness, or such kind of schism or scandalous sins, for which the Scripture commandeth us to reject men, and avoid them. But such as are thus guilty (though they offer themselves to associate with us) we shall refuse to hold communion with, till they credibly profess Repentance, and manifest a Reformation.
VII. Because it is a matter of great concernment to the honour of Christ,Art. 7. Of Ordination and Approbation of Ministers. the propagation of the Gospel, and the encrease and welfare of the Church, that there be a Provision of able, faithful Ministers, and that unworthy persons be kept out; and because deceivers and unworthy men are forward to intrude, and the people ordinarily are insufficient of themselves to make such tryal of mens ability and soundness as is requisite to the safety of the Church; and the Church in all ages hath received Ministers by the Ordination of other Ministers of Christ: We do therefore Agree to be careful and faithful in the discharge of our duties hereabout, so far as we can discern them, Resolving that if any vacant Church desire us to recommend a fit person to be their Pastor, or to Judge of any recommended to them, we will not recommend or approve of any, but such as we judge most agreeable to the will of Christ; nor will we prefer less fit and worthy men, for friendship or any carnal interest or respect. And if any intollerably unworthy person be about to intrude, or have intruded, or any neighbour Church be about to choose, or have chosen such, if we have opportunity, we shall faithfully acquaint them with their sin and danger, and perswade them to a better course. And if we shall be called to invest any by solemn Ordination in the sacred office of the Ministry, we shall perform it, as near as we are able, according to the directions of the Word of God; admitting none that Christ excludeth: And if it may be, we shall do it in that Congregation which the person is to Over-see, that so we may the better discern their mutual Consent, inculcate their duties, and engage them to a faithful performance thereof.
And whereas it is much controverted of late, Whether the Power of Ordination be given to the people, or the Pastors of a particular Church, or the Associated neighbour Pastors, and whether a stated President among these should not have a negative voice herein; We are Agreed, that leaving the people their due Liberty of Consent in the reception of their proper Pastors, We will none of us singly Ordain, without the assistance of other Pastors: Nor will we joyn with any Hereticks or others, in unjust and impious Ordinations, that tend to the corrupting or dividing of the Churches.
And to avoid Division upon a tolerable difference of Opinions, where we may agree in Practice, we Consent that the Associations that have no stated Presidents, or that give not to such a Negative voice, shall receive into their Communion those that are of the contrary opinion; giving them leave, if they desire it, to profess or record their opinion in that particular, so they will afterward walk among them in Love and Peace. And that the Associations that choose a stated President, and give him a Negative voice in Ordination, shall in like manner, and on like terms, receive into their Communion, such as dissent in that particular, and having professed or recorded their dissent, will walk submissively in Love and Peace. Which liberty also of professing and recording their different principles, we desire may be allowed them, that joyn in Synods, as being only for Communion of Churches, and them that joyn in them, as having a direct superiour Governing Power over the particular Pastors of the Churches.
VIII. Though it be the surest way to Peace and Concord,Art. 8. Of Obedience to Magistrates. to take up with these necessary things, and we cannot approve of the narrow dividing Principles of those men that will impose things unnecessary, to the excluding of the necessary; yet if our lawful Rulers shall command it, or the peace of the Church, through the distempers of the Brethren shall require it, we shall obey, and consent in things that God hath not forbidden; and if we suffer for well-doing, and for obeying God rather then men, we shall endeavour to imitate our Lord, who being reviled, reviled not again, and when he suffered, threatned not; but committed all to him that judgeth righteously, 1 Pet. 2. 23.