Baxters Narrative of His Life and Times, Appendix · Section 3 · Letter 2

Baxters Narrative of His Life and Times · Appendix · Section 3 · Letter 2

p. 69Mr. J—,

BEcause your Friend refuseth Conference, though I promised secrefie, and a loving Debate, I will for your sake answer your Questions my self, which I take to be these Two: I Whether you ought not presently to fix your self in a particular Church, and not continue any longer occasional Communion with many.

p. 70II. What Church you should be a fixed Communicant in.

I. As to the First, I know not well what is meant by fixed Membership by the Author of the Writing which you shewed me; you must be a fixed Member of Christ, and the Church Universal, or else you are no fixed Christian: But as to particular Pastors and Congregations, Order, and Concord, and Edification are the general Rules which tell you where to fix and how far.

1. You ought not to commit any real Sin for Communion with any Church.

2. Though you may and must join with faulty Assemblies and Worship; yet you must not justifie their Faults, nor profess your Consent to them, nor promise that you will never endeavour any Amendment of them.

3. There must be no Self-obliging unnecessarily: Liberty is not so contemptible a thing that we should cast it away for nought; much less must you bind your self contrary to God's Providence, or without excepting Alterations by it.

4. Your Church-Membership, as to particular Congregations must have no greater fixedness than your Habitation and other Obligations: You may remove your Congregational Relation when you remove your Dwelling; and none can hinder you from removing both, when your Interest requireth it. Suspect them that would make you their Propriety.

II. As to the Second (where you should fix):

1. You are in your Father's House, under his Government, and must obey him in all lawful things; and must not go against his Consent.

2. You are a Member of a Christian Family; and no Scripture tells us of the Members of one Christian Family being of divers Churches, nor alloweth it.

3. Scripture knoweth no particular Churches, but what were bounded by Neighbourhood and Cohabitation; except Hereticks: There were never Churches gathered out of Churches then; nor two approved Churches of the same Language in the same Bounds.

1. I do hereby undertake to prove against any Disputer, that there is no Form so agreeable to God's Word, as this following: 1. A Christian Kingdom consisting of a Christian King (or supreme Power) and particular confederate Churches being the Burgesses, and peaceable Unbelievers that tolerated Aliens or Catechumens. 2. A reformed Episcopacy Successors to the Evangelists, that (without the Sword or Force) had the Care of many Churches. 3. Reformed Parish-Churches, consisting of Godly Pastors, and professed Christian Cohabitants, the incapable being Catechumens; which made the old Nonconformists declare that they were so far from being against Parish-Churches, that their Lives would be a burden to them if they were not restored to them.

The first Church State that Christ himself made, was the Platform of a Christian Kingdom Church, offering to make Iudaea such, setting Twelve Apostles over the Twelve Tribes, and Seventy two Disciples, the Number of their great Council, and so would have gathered all Ierusalem's Children to himself, as a Hen gathereth her Chickens, Mat. 23. which they refusing he declared that the Kingdom of God should be taken from them, and given to a Nation that would bring forth the fruit thereof; and so they were cut off for their Unbelief, and we graffed in (to the same Olive or political State, the Mosaical Law only changed for Christ's Law): And as all the Prophets foretold this, that Christ's Church should be a Davidical Kingdom; so after Two Hundred Ninety Four Years Tryal it was set up, and the Pagan Empire, Babylon, did fall, and Christ reigned by Christian Emperors, and his enemies were made his Footstool, and the Kingdoms of the World became the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ, consisting of Churches confederate for Unity; and the Nations brought in their Glory to it; and the Fulness of the Gentiles came in, and all the Israel of God were saved, Iudaea becoming the most Christian Nation in the World: And Heaven and Earth rejoiced at the Fall of Babylon, and this new Ierusalem's ini…ial S…a…e: And sure it is such a Kingdom-Church which those expect that talk of the future Thousand Years Reign of Christ. As Teachers are under him as Prophet, and Priests as he is Priest; so are Christian Kings as he is King; and bad Kings are no more Reason against his Institution than bad Teachers and Priests.

2. There are Three Sorts of Pastors or Bishops in Christ's Church:

I. Such as were to gather many Churches (out of Infide…s) and to set Elders or fixed Bishops over them, and then oversee both the Elders and People: Such Christ made the Apostles, whose Office was partly extraordinary and temporary, and is so p. 71far only ceased, and partly ordinary and continued, and so Christ promised to be with them to the end of the World: And such were Evangelists sent forth with and by the Apostles to gather and oversee many Churches and Pastors: Such were Titus, Timothy, Luke, Mark, Barnabas, Silas, and many more. God never recalled this Order of Ministers, if any say he did, it lyeth in them to prove it. This was the first sort of Pastors.

II. The Second Sort were the fixed Elders which these ordained in every Church; who were all Bishops over the Flocks, and so called: but under the general Ministers (who yet had none of them any forcing Power by the Sword) these two God instituted.

III. The Third Sort (between these Two) was a President Pastor in every particular Church, like the President of a Colledge, who had some moderating guiding Power among the rest of the Elders: This was set up to avoid Division among the Elders (every Church having usually many) and received even in some of the Apostles Days, and never rejected for a Thousand Years.

3. Particular Churches in Scripture Times were distinguished by the places of their Neighbourhood, as I said before; and there were never two Churches in the same Bounds, except Hereticks, and Men of divers Languages.

From this it is plain, that the most Divine From of Government is 1. A Christian Kingdom. 2. With (Reformed) General Ministers. 3. And (Reformed) Parish-Churches, having fixed Pastors (and where it may be our Chief) &c. Moreover (as to your fixing) the Churches in Question with you, I suppose, are not the Papists, the Quakers, the Familists, &c. But the Episcopal, the Presbyterian, the Independent and the Separatist (if not the Anabaptists also).

I. The Episcopal are of Two Sorts, Conformists and Nonconformists. The Episcopal Conformists are of Two Sorts; some lately sprung up, that follow Archbishop Laud and Dr. Hammond, hold that there are no Political Churches lower than Diocesan, because there are no Bishops under them; and so that the Parish-Churches are no Churches, properly, but part of Churches; nor the Incumbants true Bishops, but Curates under Bishops; nor the Foreigners true Ministers or Churches that have no Diocesan Bishops. This Party called themselves the Church of England, 1658, 1659. When we knew but of Four or Five Bishops left alive (who Dr. Hammond said (with that Party of the Clergy) were of his Mind): And these seemed uppermost in 1660, and 1661. and were the men whom I disputed with in my Treatise of Episcopacy.

The other Episcopal Conformists are they that follow the Reformers, and hold the Doctrine of the Scripture as only sufficient to Salvation, and as explicatory of it, the Thirty Nine Articles, the Homilies, Liturgy, Book of Ordination, Apology, &c. These take the Parish-Pastors for true Rectors, and the Parish-Churches for true Churches, but subordinate to the Diocesans, and to be ruled by them. But the Laws have imposed on them some Declarations and Subscriptions, which they think they may put a good Sense on, though by stretching the Words from their usual Signification. The Bishops and Deans are chosen by the King indeed, and by the Prebends in shew. The Incumbant are chosen by Patrons ordained by Diocesans with Presbyters, and accepted by Consent of the Communicants of the Parish. The Episcopal Government is managed partly by the Bishops, and partly by Lay-Civilians and Surrogates.

The Episcopal Nonconformists are for true Parish-Churches and Ministers, reformed, without swearing, promising, declaring, or subscribing to any but sure, clear, necessary things; desiring that the Scripture may be their Canons, disowning all persecuting Canons, taking the capable in each Parish for the Communicant and Church, and the rest for Hearers and Catechized Persons: desiring that the Magistrate be Judge, whom he will maintain, approve, and tolerate, and the Ordainers Judges whom they will ordain, and the People be free Consenters to whose Pastoral Care they will trust their Souls; desiring that every Presbyter be an Overseer of the Flock, and every Church that hath many Elders have one Incumbent President for Unity and Order; and that Godly Diocesans may (without the Sword or Force) have the Oversight of many Ministers and Churches; and all these be confederate and under the Government of a Christian King, but under no Foreign Jurisdiction; though in as much Concord as is possible with all the Christian World: And they would have the Keys of Excommunication and Absolution taken p. 72out of the Hands of Lay-Men (Chancellors or Lay Brethren); and the Diocesans to judge in the Synods of the Presbyters, in Cases above Parochial Power.

That this was the Judgment of the Nonconformists that treated for Peace in 1660. and 1661. is to be seen in their printed Proposals, in which they desired Archbishop Usher's Model of the Primitive Episcopacy joined with the Synods of Presbyters.

II. The Presbyterians are for Parish-Churches as aforesaid, guided by Elders, some teaching, and some only ruling, and these under Synods of the like Class, without Diocesan or Parochial Superiors; and all under a National Assembly of the same, as the Supreme Church Power.

III. The Independants are for every Congregation to have all Church Power in it self, without any superior Church-Government over them, whether Bishops or Synods, yet owning Synods for voluntary Concord.

Of these some are against local Communion with the aforesaid Churches, and for avoiding them by Separation; some as if they were no Churches, and had no true Ministers; some for Forms of Prayer, some for faulty Communicants, some for Episcopal Ordination, and some for subscibing, and some for all these, and many other pretended Reasons.

But some Independants are for occasional Communion with the other Churches, and some also for stated Communion in the Parish-Churches, for which you may read Mr. Tomes's the chief of the Anabaptists in a full Treatise, and Dr. Thomas Goodwin on the first of the Ephesians, earnest against Separation (as the old Nonconformists were).

Now which of all these should you join with? I affirm, that all these except the Separatists are parts of the Church of England, as it is truly essentiated by a Christian Magistracy, and confederate Christian particular Churches. All are not equally sound and pure, but all are parts of the Church of England: Liturgies, and Ceremonies, and Canons and Chancellors are not essential to it, as a Church, or Christian Kingdom: But it is now a Medly, less concordant than is desirable: but you are not put upon any such Disputes; whether you will call the present Church of England Roman, as denominated from the King that is the Head; or whether you will say that King and Parliament conjunct are that Head, and so it is yet Protestant, because the Laws are so; or whether you will denominate it materially Protestant, because the Clergy and Flocks are so; your Doubt is only, what Congregation to join with.

I answer, That which all your Circumstances set together, make it most convenient to the publick good and your own.

Though I hold not Ministerial Conformity lawful, I take Lay-Communion in any of these except the Separatists, to be lawful to some Persons, whose case maketh it fittest: But I judge it unlawful for you to confine your Communion to any one of them; so as to refuse occasional Communion with all save them.

1. The Parish-Churches have the Advantage of Authority, Order and Confederacy, and the Protestant Interest is chiefly cast upon them, therefore I will not separate from Lay-Communion with them, though they need much Reformation.

2. You must not go against your Father's Will, no, nor divide the Family, without necessity: The same I say of your Husband when you are married.

3. The Nonconforming Episcopal and Presbyterians have not such Churches as they desire, but only temporarily keep Meetings like to Chappels, as Assistants to others, till Parishes are reformed.

4. I think it a stated sinful Schism to fix as a Member of such a Church and Pastor as is of the Principles of the Writing which you shewed me.

I. Because they grievously slander the Parish-Churches and Ministers as none, and their Worship and Government as far worse than it is.

II. Because they Renounce local Communion with almost all the Body or Church of Christ on Earth, by renouncing it on a Reason common to almost all.

III. Because they separate from such Churches as Christ and his Apostles joined with, and so seem to condemn Christ and his Apostles as Sinners. Christ ordinarily joined with the Iews Church in Synagogues and Temple-Offices; when the High-Priest bought the Place of Heathens, and the Priests, Pharisees and Rulers p. 73were wicked Persecutors, and the Sadduces Hereticks or worse, he sent Iudas as an Apostle, when he knew him to be a Theif or a Devil.

The Apostles neither separated nor allowed Separation from such Churches as Corinth, Gallatia, Ephesus, Smyrna, Sardis, Laodicea, &c. defiled with odious Crimes and Errors; though God command them to reform.

IV. Because hereby they tempt Men to infidelity, when they hear that Christ hath no greater a Body and Church than they with which Men may lawfully communicate; and rob him of almost his Kingdom.

V. By false accusing the Prayers of almost all Christ's Church, and renouncing Communion with them, they forfeit their Interest in the Benefit of their Prayers, and of the Communion of Saints.

VI. Who but Satan would have all the People of England and all Nations to live without any publick Church-worship, till they can have better than such as is in our Parish-Churches; as if none were better.

VII. With whom would these Men have held Communion if they had lived in any Age till two hundred Years ago? when as far as ever I could find, there was not one Congregation of Christians or Hereticks in all the World that was against Forms of Worship, or Bishops, or all Ceremonies; let them name one if they can, what then will they say to the Question, Where was your (new) Church before the two last Ages? Had Christ no Church for One Thousand Two Hundred Years in all the World, that a Christian ought to join with in local Communion? Did Christ disown them all, and yet was he their Head, and they his Body? Or are these Men as much stricter than Christ, as the Pharisees were about his Converse and the Sabbath?

VIII. They condemn themselves by their own Practice, while some of them cry down Communion with imposed Forms of Liturgy; they sing Psalms imposed by the Pastor or Clerk, which are the chief part of imposed Liturgies: They sing them in new Versions, Metre, and Tunes, different from the Apostles Churches (and yet better for us): They use imposed Translations of the Scripture: The Pastor imposeth his Words of Prayer, as a Forme which the People …st all join with: This is but a different Mode of Liturgies.

IX. Charity (or Christian Love) and Unity are the great vital Graces of the Christian Church: And oh, how wofully do these Men violate and destroy it? when, as is said, they renounce Communion for a Thousand or Twelve Hundred Years at least, with all known Churches on Earth, as unlawful in point of local Presence. 2. They bind all Christians that will hear them, to do the like to this Day, to almost all the Churches on Earth. 3. Their Principles and Reasons make it sinful to have Communicated with the Reformers, the Waldenses, Wickliffe, Luther, Melancthon, Zwinglius, Calvin, Bucer, and the rest. 4. And they condemn Communion with the Martyrs, both under Heathens, and of later Times, who made or valued and used Liturgies. 5. They condemn local Communion with all the late and former holy excellent Bishops and Conformists; such as Archbishops Parker, Grindall, Abbot, Usher, &c. Bishops, Hall, Morton, Pilkinton, Downame, Davenant, and many such: All that glorious Tribe of Conformists; Preston, Sibbs, Bolton, Whately, Crook, Io. Downame, Stoughton, &c. Oh, how great a Number and how excellent, almost matchless Men? Almost all the late Westminster Assembly. 6. And all the excellent old Nonconformists that were against Separation; Dearing, Greenham, Perkins, Bayn, Reignolds, Dod, Hieldersham, Bradshaw, Ball, and Multitudes of such of greatest Piety and Parts. 7. All, or near all the Reformed Churches. 8. All the meer Independants that were against their Separation; such as Dr. Tho. Goodwin aforesaid, and many of his Mind. 9. Yea, they condemn the Old Brownists, who Printed their Profession of Communion with many Parish-Churches, and with Liturgies. 10. And they utterly condemn all local Communion with the meer Nonconformists of this Age, who offered Terms of Concord in Liturgy and Episcopacy, 1661. None of all these are good enough for these Men (especially their Women and Lads) to have any present Communion with.

p. 74Do they know how little radical Difference there is between saying, as Persecutors, All these are Hereticks; and as Separatists, All these are unworthy of Christian Communion: Yea, the Pope rejecteth Communion but with two or three parts of the Christian World, and these Men renounce local Communion with almost all: Is this the way of Love and Unity in the Body of Christ?

X. Is Provoking, Excommunicating them the way to reconcile the Publick Ministers and Churches? Or is this a time to join with the Enemies of the Protestant Religion, to draw all the People to forsake them? That so the Reformation here may have only private Toleration as we have, till some Disorder is said to forfeit it? the King promiseth to defend them, and shall separating Protestants pull them down?

XI. The Weakness of these Mens Judgments and Dealings, bring all the Nonconformists into Contempt and Scorn with Multitudes of undistinguishing Men, as if we were all of the same Temper, and hardeneth Thousands in hatred to them all, and maketh them long to be persecuting us again, and keepeth them from repenting of the Evil they have done: Offence must come, but woe to them by whom it cometh.

XII. God hath most expresly decided this Controversy in Scripture, and these Men seeming Adherents to Scripture cannot see it, Rom. 14. and 15. and 16. 17. Ioh. 17. 22, 24. Phil. 2. Eph. 4. In a Word, in all those Texts that plead for, Church Unity and Love; and all those that speak of the sinfulness of Schism, and that a kingdom divided cannot stand; and all those that condemn Dividers, and all that command mutual forbearance, &c. Do you think that [receive one another as Christ received us] even them that are weak in Faith it self] doth mean no more than [do not silence them, or imprison, or murder them:] No doubt but it meaneth, receive them to Church-Communion.

XIII. What a great Sin is unjust silencing worthy Preachers. And do not these Men endeavour to silence more thousands than the Act of Uniformity, or Bishops did, when they tell all that it's a Sin to hear them.

XIV. If it be unlawful to join with others that are no worse than they, it must be unlawful to join with them: If I be guily of all that is said or done amiss in the Parish-Churches, I shall be more guilty if I join with the Separatists.

I am not desirous to accuse any, but to cover their Faults as far as I can. But I cannot resolve your Question without telling you that I take their Church-State to be so far different from the Rule, and in many Respects worse than the Parish-Churches, as that to join with them as fixed covenanted Members, will be a state of Sin.

1. Scripture-fixed Ministers, or Elders were all ordained by superior general Pastors, either alone, or with Presbyteries: So are not theirs (if by any at all).

2. Scripture-flocks were ruled by their Pastors, Heb. 13. 7, 17, 24. 1 Thes. 5. 13, 14. 1 Pet. 5. 1 Tim. 3, &c. But many of their Flocks are the Rulers of themselves and Pastors.

3. Scripture particular Churches were all distinguished by the Limits of their Habitation or Proximity; so that there was never two Churches in the same City or Bounds, save Hereticks, and Men of divers Tongues (at least where one could hold them all) But it's otherwise with the Separatists.

4. No lawful Church in Scripture, was gathered out of a true Gospel-Church: But theirs are.

5. Scripture Churches had fixed known Tests to know qualified Members by; which was consent to the Baptismal Covenant, explained in the Creed, Lord's-Prayer and Commandments: So that all Churches had the same Test and Terms of Qualification, and so had one Profession. But these Men leave this Arbitrary to the Pastor (or People) to try whether Men are converted by uncertain Terms and Words devised by every Minister; so that the Terms are unknown and not agreed on among their Churches, and may be as various as Ministers.

6. Scripture-Churches never divided the Christians of the same Family, some to one Church, and some to another: But these Men do so, to great Confusion.

p. 757. They are not agreed on any Form of Doctrine to be a Test of their Agreement with other Churches with whom they will have Communion: If they say that the Scripture is that Test; I answer, a General Belief that Scripture is the Word of God, is neither sufficient to Salvation, nor to Communion: Many have this, who deny the Essentials of Christianity: And an explicite Understanding and Belief of every Text, no Man hath. Thousands of Texts are not understood by most Christians or Teachers; therefore there must be some Collection of the Essentials in a Creed, or else there can be no certain Notice whether so much of Scripture Truth be explicitely believed as is necessary to Salvation. And if single Pastors require more, it must be only in order to Growth and Edification, and not as a necessary Qualification for Membership, or Communion of Churches.

I have great Cause to know what I say of them. A Parliament once chose Fourteen Ministers to draw up the Fundamentals of Religion, as a Test of such as were to be tollerated in Union: There were Dr. Owen, Mr. Nye, Dr. Thomas Goodwin, Mr. Sydrak Sympson, Dr. Cheynel, and others: Bishop Usher was chosen, and refused; and I was chosen in his stead: Before I came they had drawn up Fourteen or Fifteen Articles all in new Terms of their own, and some neither Essential, nor true: I told them that we were not to make a new Christianity or Creed, but must own that which the Christian Church was known by in all Ages: But I could not be heard, though Mr. Vines and Mr. Mant…n joined with me. At last they wrote this for a Fundamental; [That they that allowed themselves or others in any known Sin, cannot be saved.] I told them that though I could not be heard by them, I durst say, that I would make them presently blot it out. They bid me, do it if I could. I said, [The Parliament taketh Independency, Separation, Anabaptistry, and Antinomianism for Sin: And they will say, These Divines pronounce us all Damned if we allow them.]

They said not a Word, but threw away their Fundamental. The rest of them they printed: But the Parliament were glad with silence to pass by all their Works, and take no notice of it, lest it should be a publick Reproach that we could not agree on the Fundamentals. And I am glad that I hindered such an Agreement as they would have made, instead of the old Creeds which they would not rest in. And can such Churches be of any known Consistency or Concord? If you join with them, how know you what Religion they are of? Or how know they what other particular Churches are in their Communion? (for I hope they hold a Communion of Churches.) Arrians and Socinians say they believe the Scripture: No Man understandeth all the Scripture: The necessary selected Articles they have no known Agreement in: If they say that they own the same Creed that we do, why then do they not use it as the Test of Christian Profession, but instead of it leave every Pastor to make one in Terms that is only his, and no two Churches have the same: To agree in Independency or Separation, is not to agree in Christianity: There are abundance of Books written for very false Doctrines by men called Independents (it's odious to name them.) Are all the Author of their Communion or not? The Assembly could never get them to tell whom they would take to be of their Communion, and whom not.

8. Therefore their Churches are not compaginate nor confederate so as the Members of our Body should be, and as Scripture-Churches were, and as Christ would have had the Jewith National Church to be.

9. They have no Certainty and Concord in their Church-Worship, which they have little more than such Preaching and Praying, which cannot be known for true or false, sound or unsound till the Words are past: And it may justly be expected that Separatists, Antinomians, Anabaptists, Socinians, and all erroneous Men should put their Errors into their Sermons and Prayers, and sinfully father them all on God: And so all God's Worship must be contiually uncertain to the Flocks; and of as many different Strains as the Preachers differ in Parts and Wisdom: And it must be low, and poor, and confused, wherever the Ministers are young, raw, erroneous or ignorant.

They once met at the Savoy, and drew up an Agreement of many Pastors: But in that they differ from many other Churches called Independants, and from the Anabaptists. And they expresly contradict the Scripture, 1. In saying that [we have no Righteousness but Christ's which is imputed to us] when as Scripture many Hundred times mentioneth also another personal, inherent, or acted Righteousness.

p. 762. They say that [Faith is not imputed for Righteousness]. I think they mean well: But they should rather expound Scripture than flatly deny or contradict what it saith; and after, defame those falsly that would help them more distinctly to understand it. Their People are taught to speak evil of what they understand not, and to represent Men as dangerous or odious, who think not of many wordy Controversies as confusedly and ignorantly as they. Their Churches are too usually constituted of such Novices in Knowledge of both Sexes, as are like a School where the Boys call their Teacher a Deceiver for every word by which he would deliver them from their Errours, and teach them more than they knew before.

10. They lazily gather a few that seem so much better than the rest, as will put them to no great labour in Teaching and Discipline. But if all the rest of the Parishes lye in Ignorance, how little are we beholden to these Separatists for the Cure. When I came to Kidderminster, some, inclined that way, importuned to me to take a few Professors of Zeal for my Flock, and let the rest follow their ignorant Readers. But when I renounced their Counsel, and after my own and my Assistants long Catechizing them, and perswading all the Families, House by House, they saw the Body of Town and Parish in love with serious Religion, they told me they had been undone if I had followed their Counsel: William Allen, who, with Mr. Lamb, were Pastors of an Anabaptist Arminian Church, first separated from the Parish-Churches, and next from the Independents, was turned from Independency much, by seeing (being our Kidderminster Factor) that Parish-Churches may be made as holy as separated ones, and the People not left by lazy Separatists to the Devil: So that this Experience made him and his Companion more against Independency than I am.

11. They abuse the People in indulging them in works that they were never called to, nor are capable of, nor can give any comfortable account of to God; that is, To be the Judges of Persons admitted to Communion, and of Mens Repentance and Fitness for the Sacrament, &c. whenas God hath put this Power, called The Church Keys, into the Pastors and Rulers hands, (the not over-forced Men, but Voluntiers). Baptism is the true Churches Entrance, and the Baptizer is the Judge of the Capacity of the Baptized: no more but Consent to particular Church Relation and Duty, is necessary to Membership of Neighbour Christians in particular Churches. And nothing but proved nullifying the Baptismal Covenant by Heresie, or Sin impenitently maintained or contained in, doth forfeit their visible right to Communion. And if the People must judge of all these, they must have their Callings to examine every Person, and they must grow wiser and abler, then many of their Leaders are.

12. Their Churches have among them no probable way of Concord; but they are as a heap of Sand, that upon every Commotion fall in pieces. The Experience of it in Holland broke them to nothing: And it so affected the Sober in New-England, that in 1660. or 1661. Mr. Ash and I were fain to disswade Mr. Norton and Mr. Broadstreet, whom they sent hither as Commissioners, from inclining to our English Episcopacy (foretelling them what was doing and we have seen) so deeply were they afraid of being received by that Peoples uncurable Separation from their ablest Pastors, whenever any earnest erroneous Teachers would seduce them. Their Building wanteth Cement.

13. God hath so wonderfully by his Providences disowned the way of Schism and Separation (on how good pretences soever) that I should be too like Pharaoh in hardness, if I should despise his warnings. For Instance,

1. In the Apostles days all are condemned that separated from the setled Churches, even when those Churches had many heinous Scandals, and St. Paul saith, That all they in Asia were turned from him. The Authority and Miracles of the Apostles did not serve to keep Men from Separation and raising Schisms.

2. Even when the Church lay under Heathen Persecutors for 294 years, yet Swarms of Condemned Sects arose, to so great a number, as that the naming and confuting them filleth great Volumes, to the great Reproach of the Christian Churches, and Scandal of the Heathens.

3. As soon as Constantine delivered the Churches from the Flames of cruel Persecution, and set up Christians in Power and Wealth, separating Sects grew greater than before, each Party crying up their several Bishops and Teachers, and grew worse by Divisions, till thereby they tempted the Papal Clergy to unite Men carnally by force.

p. 774. At Luther's Reformation Swarms of Separatists arose in Germany, Holland, Poland, &c. to the great dishonour of the Protestant Cause.

5. Here in England it hath been ill in Queen Elizabeth's time, by the Familists and Separatists; and far worse since: It was such as Quarterman and Lilburn, and other Separatists that drew Tumults and Crowds down to Westminster, to draw the Parliament to go beyond their own Judgment, and thereby divided the Parliament-men, and drove away the King, which was the beginning of our odious War. It was the Separating Party that all over the Land set up Anti-Churches in the Towns that had able godly Ministers, when they had nothing imposed on them to excuse it, neither Bishops, Liturgies, nor Ceremonies. So that Churches became like Cockpits, or Fencing-Schools, to draw asunder the Body of Christ. It was the Separating Party that got under Cromwell into the Army, and became the common Scorners of a godly able Ministry, by the Names of the Priest-byters, the Driviners, the Westminster-sinners, the Dissembly-men, as Malignant Drunkards did, and worse. It was these that thought Success had made them Rulers of the Land, that caused the disbanding of all the Soldiers that disliked their Spirit and Way, and then pull'd down, first eleven, and then the major part of the Parliament, imprisoning and turning out Men of eminent Piety and Worth, and making a Parliament of the minor part, and their killing the King, and afterward with scorn turning out that minor part that had done their work, and to whom they had oft profest themselves Servants: It was these Men that set up a Usurper; that made a thing called a Parliament, all of his and his Armies nomination. If this should ever be imitated, whom may we thank. It was these Men that set up the Military Government of Major-Generals: It was they that set up and pull'd down so many feigned Supream Powers in a few years, as made themselves the Scorn of the World, and by a dreadful warning of Divine Justice, all their victorious Army and Power dropt in pieces like Sand, as they would have used the Church, and was dissolved without one Battle or drop of Blood, save the after-Blood of their Leaders that were hang'd, drawn, and quarter'd by Parliament Sentence. It is these Men and these doings that have hardened thousands against Reformation, and turned all that was done for it (O what did it cost, and what raised hopes had many of the Success) into Reproach, quieted the Consciences of those that have thought they served God by silencing, hating and persecuting those that they thought had been of this guilty Sect. In a word, the spirit and way of causeless Separation, whether by violent Prelatists Pursuits and Excommunications, or by self-conceited Sectaries, was never owned or blest by God.

If any say (truly or falsly) You have had a hand in some such thing your self.

I answer, If I had I will hate it, and write against it so much the more.

To thrust ones self into a way so disowned by God, by such a course of fearful warnings, is to run with Pharaoh into the Red-Sea; especially when Impenitence so fixeth the guilt on them that cannot endure to hear of it, as may make us fear that the worst … behind, and Sin and Judgments yet continue.

The Sum of what is said to you on the other side, is that the Church of England and the Parish Churches have no true Ministry, and therefore are no true Churches: That they confess there is no Church without a Bishop, and no Bishop below the Diocesan, and so no Church below the Diocesan Church: That those are no Scripture Bishops and Churches; and Men cannot be Pastors against their wills, and the will of their Diocesans. That I contradict my Treatise of Episcopacy in denying this: With more like this.

To which I say, I. If the Parish Congregation were but part of a Church, you might joyn with it as a part, as well as with part of an Independent Church. And they that can hear a Lay-man with the Separatists, might hear the Ministers there…

II. Whether I contradict my self, or not, is nothing to your Cause and Conscience. I undertook not, when I wrote, that none should wilfully or ignorantly misunderstand me: The formal Notion of a National Church is nothing but a Christian Kingdom: The Matter is Christian Rulers and Subjects, and as ordered Confederate particular Churches: England hath been such for many Ages. Here from the Reformation they owned the Sovereign Power as the Head of the Political National Church, as Christ is of the Universal, (under him). They owned Parish-Churches under Diocesans, and true Ministers therein: Their Books shew their Judgment, their Articles, Apology, Homelies, Liturgy, Ordination, Canons, &c. These Books are still owned by the Church: But at last a new sort of Bishops rose up that would have made the Parish Churches to be no proper Churches, but p. 78like Chappels under the Diocesan: These called themselves the Church of England, when there were but about four or five Bishops left alive, who Dr. Hammond said were of his mind. Some such domineered afterward, and would have set up that way, but never prevailed either to retract the Churches Books and Laws, nor to get the major part of the Clergy to own them. Now all the vain question here is, Which of these two Parties shall be called The Church of England? Neither of them alone: They are two disagreeing parts of it: I argued against the last, professing not to do it against the first; which your Counseller would take no notice of. And what's all this to you? If you will not be of the National or Diocesan Church, you may be of a Parish Church.

III. I proved that if all the Bishops and Parliament had said, The Parish Ministers are no true Pastors, this would not have made them none, (though they might be guilty of deposing them as far as they could:) no more than it would make the Nonconforming Ministers and Churches to be none: Because we all take the Office as instituted by Christ, and Men to be but investing Servants to him, having no power to alter it: And as in the Marriage the Husband shall have power over the Wife though he that marry them say Nay; so shall an ordained Elder be a true Pastor though the Ordainer say Nay.

IV. I proved that the old Church Books and Doctrine are in force still by Law, and the Kingdom and Church are sworn or bound, not to endeavour any alteration in the Government of the Church: Therefore not to put down the Parish Ministry and Churches. Therefore this is the Sence of the Church of England, though not of the new Faction that usurped that Name.

V. Though a Man cannot be a Pastor against his will, yet he may be one without his knowledge, if by Errour he think he is none. For he may consent to all the Office, while he thinks it is not all, and denieth the Name. If a Man think that a Deacon may do all essential to a Pastor, and so that he is but a Deacon, he is nevertheless a Pastor if he consented to the Work. Many thousands are Christians that think they are not, and do truly consent to Christianity, while they think they do not. And why may it not be so also to the Ministry?

VI. But our Case needeth none of these Reasons. For where there is all that is essential to true Pastors and Churches, there are true Pastors and Churches: But by God's great mercy, in many thousand Parishes in England, there is all that is essential to true Pastors and Churches: Therefore they are such. When you will call me to dispute it with any Denier, I will fully prove to you, (That there is great need of Reformation).

1. That the Church of England, as it is a Christian Kingdom, containing Confederate Churches under a Christian King and Laws, is that very Form that Christ offered to settle in Iudea, and did settle by Constantine.

2. That if the Diocesans be good Men, and lawfully chosen, as they are meer Successours of Timothy and Titus, and others that had the oversight of many Churches and Pastors (by the Word) they are righter than the Opposers.

3. That the Incumbents of the Parish-Churches have a valid Ordination by such Bishops and Presbyters, righter than the Dividers.

4. That many thousands of such Pastors are Men of competent Abilities: and many of greater Ministerial Abilities than most of us Nonconformists: yea, that no known Nation under Heaven hath, in so small a compass, so many able Ministers as England. And that to deny it and separate, is great ingratitude towards God.

5. That Parish Bounds are a laudable Distribution of Churches; the capable Members being Communicants, and the rest Catechumens.

6. That the ordinary Communicants in multitudes of Parishes, are Membrs that have all that is essential to Church-Membership.

7. That the Pastors have power from God for all their Work, and Mens denial (even the Ordainers) nullifieth not that Power, when they are in general ordained Presbyters.

8. That by the Law of the Land they have all Power essential to Pastors: They may keep from Communion all that are not Confirmed, and there have owned their Baptismal Covenant, or are ready and desirous so to do, and therefore may try their readiness: This is required by the Liturgy: And they may deny the Sacrament to p. 79all that live in scandalous Sin: And they must prosecute such to the Bishops Courts. The Law calleth them Rectors (Rulers), and they own themselves for such: And even the Canons (that are their worst restraints) do own the same; and so do the rest of the Church-Books and Laws, that they all subscribe to, and promise not to alter: Ask them whether they take not themselves for true Pastors, if you would know whether they consent to be such.

9. Though some late Innovators, that called themselves The Church of England, would, as far as they could, have nullified in some part the Parish Ministry and Churches, and the Canons themselves do sinfully limit the Exercise of their Power, (the Cause of our Calamities), yet this nullifieth not the Office and Churches; the Essential Power being setled both by God's Laws and the Churches; and the restraint of Exercise nulleth not the Power.

10. That to Exclude any from Communion that are Baptized and at Age, have owned their Christianity, and are not proved by sufficient witnesses to have nullified that Profession by Apostasie, Heresie, or a wicked or scandalous Life, is Church Tyranny and Injustice; of which all are guilty that do it or desire it.

11. That if this Discipline be neglected by the Ministers sinful Sloth, or by the sinful Omission of the People, that will not (first privately, and then before witness, and then to the Church or Pastor) admonish the Offenders, this is the Sin of Pastors and People, but nullifieth not the Church or Office.

12. Through God's great Mercy the Doctrine professed by the Church of England, and usually preached in many thousand Parish Churches, is sound, and as well preached as in any other known Kingdom on Earth (though Ministers have had their Sins which we still smart for and by).

13. There is nothing in the Liturgy-worship which the Laity in the Congregation are ordinarily to perform or joyn in, which they may not lawfully do or joyn in, or be present at: (most that needeth Reformation being in Rubricks and By-Offices, Baptizing, Confirmation, Excommunications, Absolutions, Burials, and in the Ministers part).

14. The Ministers have all the three parts that can be accounted by any party necessary to an outward Call. 1. They have the Magistrates Consent (by his Law) who is Judge whom he will maintain and tolerate. 2. They have the Ordainers Consent and Mission (Bishops and Presbyters) who are Judges whom to Ordain. 3. They have the Communicants Consent expressed in their constant Attendance and Communicating; who are the discerning Judges to whom to commit the Pastoral Care and Conduct of their own Souls: And though more be desirable, no more is of necessity.

15. The Confederate Parish-Churches of England that have able godly Pastors, want nothing, which CHRIST or his APOSTLES, or the UNIVERSAL CHURCH of Christ for Six hundred years (yea or to this day) did ever make or judge necessary to the being of Ministers or Church. Nor have the said Churches any Errour or Sin in Doctrine, Worship or Government, which either Christ or his Apostles, or the Universal Church, for Six hundred years after Christ, did judge inconsistent with the being of a valid Minister, and true visible Churches.

The large proof of these Fifteen Propositions I offer, though too long now to perform; which though they will not justifie such Ministerial Conformity as I have been urged to, yet you may easily see by them, 1. What Church-Frame is most agreeable to Scripture. 2. And what to judge of the false Accusers of the Church. 3. How far Separation is sinful Division, and contrary to Christian Love and Union.

I know the Dividers say, 1. That I am turned Conformist. 2. And why do I not Conform, if I think so well of the Parish Churches and Liturgy. And 3. Why have I lost above Twenty thousand pounds in Five and twenty years, by refusing a Bishoprick and other Preferments.

To whom I answer; If our printed Proposals, Disputes, and Petitions for Peace in 1661. and my first, second, and third Plea for Peace, and many more such Writings, and my Cure of Church Divisions, and my Book for the true and only way of Church Concord, and my Confutation of many that made me a Separatist while I Communicated in my Parish Church, and never gathered a Church meerly because I forsook not my Ministry, but gratis preached a Lecture, and my Book against Sacrilegious Desertion of the Ministry; I say, if all these Books will not silence these ignorant Objectors, nor restrain them from speaking evil of that which they understand not, I owe them no more, nor can hope to cure their quarrelsome p. 80Ignorance, should I say or write never so much more. They have contemned so many excellent Rulers, and Pastors, single and Assemblies, far wiser than I, and so censoriously condemn almost all the Body or Church of Christ on Earth, that I am not so vain as to expect to escape their Censure. Even in New-England, not only Mr. Wilson, Mr. Norton, and such other single Independent Ministers, lived and died in lamented Separation, and warning the Land against it as their danger, but their Synods have been at much trouble thereby, and left their Healing Determinations and Testimony against that Dividing Spirit and Way.

They that would see more, may read a small Book of Mr. Philip Nye for Hearing the Parish Preachers; and a bigger Book of Mr. Iohn Tombes (the greatest and most learned Writer against Infant-Baptism) vindicating the Lawfulness and Duty of joyning in ordinary Communion in Word, Prayer, and Sacrament with the Parish-Churches.