Baxters Narrative of His Life and Times, Part 2 · Section 8
WE whose Names are Subscribed, dissenting from Infant-Baptism, heartily accept this Offered Agreement, as followeth:
In the first Rank.
In the second Rank.
In the third Rank.
Optatus Adv. Parm. l. 3. p. 75.
EUM qui ad Deum so conversum esse professus est, Paganum vocas?—Paganum vocas eum qui Deum Patrem per filium ejus ante eram rogaverit? … enim crediderit, in nomine Patris, Filii & Spirit… Sancti, credidit: Et tu eum Paganum vocas post confessionem Fidei. Si…aliquid Christi… (quod absit) un…squisque delinquerit, peccator dici potest: Paganus iterum esse non potest. Sed hae… omnia vultis nullius esse momenti. At si tibi ipsi consenserit quem seducis; unus consensus, & man… tuae porrectio & pauca Verba, jam tibi Christianum faciunt de Christiano: Et ille vobie videbitur Christianus, qui quod vultis fecerit, non quem fides adduxerit.
Lib. 5. p. 86. Denique vos qui baptisma quasi libenter duplicare contenditis, si datis alterum baptisma, date alteram fidem; si datis alteram Fidem, & alterum Christum: Sidatis alternum Christum date alterum Deum. Deus Unus est: De Uno Deo Unus est Christus: Qui rebaptizatur jam Christianus fuerat: Quomodo dici potest iterum Christianus?
Lib. 4. p. 76. S… tu non vis esse Frater, ego esse incipio Impius, si de nomine isto …cuero.
Vid. Lib. 1. Fol. 1.
§ 46. Before this I had occasion to make a more particular tryal for Union with the Independent Brethren. I knew Mr. Phil. Nye had very great power with them, and he being in the Country, I desired him to give me in Writing all those things which of necessity must be granted them by the Presbyterians, in order to Concord and Conjunction in the same Associations and Communion: He referred me to the Debates in the Assembly at Westminster which are in print: I urged him to give them me under his Hand, which at that time he did not, but the next Year I prevailed with him, and he wrote down these two as sufficient Concessions to our desired End: [The first was, that they might have Liberty to take Church-Members out of other Parishes. And the second, that they might have all Church Power within themselves, in their several Congregations.] I asked him, if I accommodated them in both these, whether really they would unite with us as aforesaid. And he told me that they would: Whereupon I drew up this Form of Agreement following, which I thought granted them both these: But so as that they should be Members of constant Associations, and meet with us in our Synods; and that they should do this not as subject to the Government of those Synods, but as using them for Concord between the Churches, and so take their Resolutions not as Laws, but as Agreements: And that before they took any Member out of any other Parish, it should be debated in such Assemblies or Synods, and there it should be tryed whether the Person had sufficient Cause to withdraw his Communion from the Parish of which he was a Member: And if the Cause were just he might be allowed; but if the Cause were heretical or truly Schismatical they should hear what the Synod could say against it: and if they judg'd the Error tollerable they would tollerate it, if their Reasons could not satisfie; if they judged it intollerable, the worse could be but our disowning the Fact, and again receding from their Communion. He told me that it would cast a Slurr on them to be as it were excommunicated by us, that were the greater Number. I told him, 1. That it was not likely that Men who so much desired their Communion, would excommunicate them for the very same things, which we knew they held before we desired it. 2. That whether they associated with us or not, we could publish and practice Non-communion with them on the same Causes: And it was likelier to be avoided if they would be present with us, and plead their own Cause. 3. That a stated Alienation or Division should not be kept up, for fear of a possible removal again of some one Person.
Next he told me that the Point of Ordination was not yet accommodated, which he comprised under [Church-Power] I offered him that if any of their Pastors died or removed, if the succeeding Pastor were ordained either by any remaining Pastor of that Church, or by any Pastors of other Churches, of their own Party or the other, we would hold Communion with them as Pastors. He denied to yield to this, and required, that if neither any Pastor of their own Church, or any other ordained them they might be held as Pastors. I told him, 1. He knew that was against the Judgment of those that they were to agree with. 2. That Mr. Norton and others of their own way confess, that it is lawful for Pastors of another Church to lay on Hands in their Ordination; and why should he not yield for Peace in a Point, which they confessed lawful; as long as they are not obliged thereby to acknowledge any Subjection to any other Church, but might receive it on their own Grounds. 3. Or if they would not yield to this at all, we might have Communion with them as Christians, without acknowledging them for Pastore. But upon this he receded, and came no nearer to any Agreement with us.
In this interval I wrote to him the following Letter.
Reverend Sir,
I Have adventured, according to my Promise, to send you my Thoughts of the ready way of Agreement, between the Honest and Moderate of the Presbyterian, Congregational, yea, and Episcopal way. I purposely avoid the wording of a Form of Agreement, it being none of my Task, and such an Anticipation may do hurt; and therefore I shall give you only the Materials unpolished.
Prop. 1. About the Matter of particular Churches, as you express no Disagreement, so I find none in the printed Debates; and therefore take it for granted, that we are at one: That cohabiting Christians are the fit matter of such Churches; or visible Believers, visible Saints professing Believers and Saints, &c. which come all to one. As to the Execution there will be a Difference even among Congregational Men, or Presbyterians themselves; according to their several Tempers, some more Charitable, some more Censorious, some more Strict, and some more Remiss.
With the Anabaptists we are agreed of the Matter as to the Membra perfecta, (except with them that make re-baptising essential) but not as to Infants, who are Membra imperfecta.
2. We are agreed that every Christian (where such a Benefit may be had) should be or seek to be a Member of some particular Church, and know his own Overs…ers, and every overseer should endeavour to know all his Flock.
3. We are agreed that as some Discovery of Consent on both Parts (the Pastors and People) is necessary to the being of the Members of a political particular Church: So that the most express Declaration of that Consent, is the most plain and satisfactory Dealing, and most obliging, and likest to attain the Ends; and therefore caeteris paribus, where it may be had, is the best.
4. We are agreed that all fit means should be used, even in the Determination of Circumstances, to preserve the Union and Peace of Christians and Churches, and that ordinarily the bounding of Churches as to Habitation, is a meet means to these Ends, and that ordinarily Parishes are fit Bounds: Or at least we are agreed that these shall be ordinarily taken for the Bounds to avoid Inconveniencies; not including all in the Parishes, but confineing Churches to those Circuits ordinarily. Yet we agree that this ordinary Rule hath its Exceptions; as for Example, 1. If Parishes be so spacious that all the People are not Co-habitants capable of the Ends of Communion. 2. If the Parish be so populous (of fit Persons) as that there are more than are fit for a Particular Church. 3. If the Parish be so small or bad, that there are not enough to be Materials of a Church, it may be joined by consent to the next. 4. If there be no Pastor, or none fit to be owned. 5. If any Ordinance be statedly wanting which may be had elsewhere, and is needful to the Person's Edification, and if he cannot procure it in the Church where he is, and yet cannot remove his Habitation to another, without more loss to himself and to the Christian Interest, then it is like to receive by his joining to another without Removal. 6. If he cannot have personal Communion with them without his own actual Sin, and yet cannot remove his Dwelling but as aforesaid. 7. If Difference in some small Opinion ill managed shall make him burdensom to the Church where he is, who yet may live peaceably with a Neighbour-Church of his Opinion and cannot remove out as aforesaid. 8. To comprehend all in this General, we are agreed that no Man that is a Member of another Parish, should be received into our Churches, where it can be proved that it is to the Wrong of the common Good or Christian Interest, especially when he is a Member of another Church as well as another Parish. The Sum is, Parishes shall be the ordinary Bounds, but in necessary Cases and no other, you shall except and be free from them.
5. Whereas the Presbyterians say, that the Ecclesi… prima particularis politics, may consist of one only Congregation; and the Congregational say, it must consist of one only Congregation. The licet shall yield to the opportat, and it will be agreed that de facto, our particular political Churches shall consist but of one Congregation ordinarily; allowing the Liberty either of Chappels or private Meetings for those of the Church, that by reason of Age, Weakness, or other Impediments cannot alway come so far as the common Meeting of the Church. And consequently we shall agree that the Number of a particular Church exceed not so many as are ordinarily capable of personal local Communion in God's Worship, which is a chief end of their Conjunction.
6. We are agreed that these particular political Churches should consist of two parts, Officers and their Flock, the ruling part and the ruled part; and all the great Controversies that have troubled us about the Peoples Power of Government, shall be thus agreed; confess but this [that Pastors are the Overseers, Teachers, Guides, or Rulers of their Flocks, and are over the People in the Lord, and that the People are bound to obey those that rule over them, that watch for their Souls] and let all the rest be silenced.
7. We are agreed that it is meet that in every particular Church there be usual Meetings of the Officers and Delegates (if the Church see cause) or other persons that shall desire to be present for the hearing and trying causes, before they are brought to the open Assembly. And therefore where they can be had, there should be many Officers in a Church.
8. Whereas there be three Opinions about assisting Elders: 1. That they should be Men of the same Office with the Pastors, Ordained and Authorized to Administer Sacraments, and Preach when it is necessary, though they may divide their Work in the Execution. 2. That they should be a distinct Office unordained, and not authorized to Preach or Administer Sacraments. 3. That they should be unordained and no Officers, but the meer Trustees of the People, deputed by them to do that only which private Members may do, let this Controversie be wholly laid aside, and all left to their liberty in this matter.
9. These particular Churches shall have power to govern within themselves (being once Constituted) Excommunication it self not excepted. Only their Constitution and Ordination of their Pastors must be agreed on as followeth.
10. It is the Judgment of the Presbyterians that Ordination by Overseers or Pastors is of Necessity to the Being of an Overseer or Pastor, where it may be had; and that some Ruling Officer is an Essential part of a Political Church (though not of a meer Community); and that Imposition of Hands is a fit Ceremony, and to be used as of Divine Appointment, though not Essential to Ordination. It is the Judgment of the Congregational that Ordination by such Teaching Elders is lawful, if not of necessity; and that Imposition of Hands is lawful: In all this therefore let the licet stoop to the oportet. Agree that you will not de facto establish any Pastor or Teacher over a particular Church without Ordination by teaching Elders, leaving the point of necessity undetermined, (except in case of necessity when such Ordination cannot be had). And also that you will submit to Imposition of Hands, as a thing lawful: Only for those that think Imposition to be unlawful, agreeing in other things, an Ordination without Imposition (as an extraordinary Indulgence to a tender Connscience) may be tollerated.
11. As a local personal Communion of individual Christians is necessary in particular Churches to a Concatination, or Union and Communion of these Churches, by Officers, Delegates, as the Joints and Ligaments, is a great Duty and desirable Mercy, which I hope we are all agreed to value, seek and maintain.
12. For this end it is agreed by us, that there shall be known times and places of meeting agreed on, which all the Pastors shall frequent as oft as they well can, not forbidding any of our People that are desirous to be with us.
13. None shall be taken into these Associations, but approved Men for Godliness and Ability, and that by consent of the associated Ministers, and none refused that are fit for our Communion.
14. The Works of these Assemblies shall not be to make Laws, to the Churches or any of their Brethren, to bind them ex authoritate Imperantis, as if they were to exercise a proper Legislative Power: Nor yet by Agreement to determine of any unnecessary things, and make those to be Duties which are not so in themselves; much less to lay the Union of the Churches on such unnecessary determinations; nor yet to exercise any coercive Power by bodily Penalties or Mulcts, and least of all to bind Men to sin against God: But it shall be to agree upon the unanimous Discharge of our Duties which God hath imposed to maintain Love and Concord, and remove all Offences and Strangeness and other Occasions of Division; to encourage and strengthen one another by Exhortation and Prayer, to know who are cast out of the several Churches, that we may concur in avoiding those that are to be avoided; to discern to whom our Communion should extend; to increase the Reputation of God's Work in our Hands, both to those within our Communion and those without it, by our Concord and Unanimity; and so to further the Success of our Labours; to help the younger Ministers by some profitable Exercises, and to help one another by common Advice, especially in cases of great difficulty. In general it shall be for Union and Communion of Churches and Pastors, and for the Benefits that come by both.
Being all agreed on this much, if any think that such Synods are also for Direct Government of particular Pastors and Churches, as a higher governing Order or Power, such shall keep that Opinion to themselves, and not impose it on others as necessary to our Agreement or Communion. Or if those that hold Synods to have a direct ruling Power over particular Pastors and Churches, and those that hold them to have only an agreeing Power in order to Communion: Or any of these shall think that they are bound in Conscience to declare their Principles in associating and assembling, they shall all have Liberty to declare and register it, so they will after go peaceably on in their Association; though we desire rather that the Principles were silenced.
15. But as we are agreed that it belongeth to these Conventions to discern and judge what particular Churches, Ministers, or other Persons are fit or unfit for their common Communion when the Cognizance of it is necessary, and this extended Communion is a thing to be valued and sought, so consequently in order to such Ends, it is the Duty of particular Churches, Pastors, or other Persons to render an account of their Doctrines and Practices to these Assemblies, when upon considerable Accusations, or other just Cause it is desired.
16. If these Assemblies in order to Unity or the Progress of Religion, shall agree in the Determination of some Circumstance, not expresly determined in Scripture, supposing that the Determination is needful and agreeable to the general Rules of Scripture, every Church and Pastor ought to stand to this Agreement, for the sake of Concord, if they do not judge it to be a Sin that is agreed to, though they see not the necessity. E. g. The Time and Place of their Convention must be agreed on by them, and the lesser part must yield to the greater; or else by diffent, no time or place may ever be agreed on: So that if the greater part agree on one Translation of the Bible, to be used in all the associated Churches or on one Version of the Singing Psalms, it will tend much to Edification, and agrees with the Scripture Commands of Unity. If therefore that which they agree on seem to a particular Church or Pastor no better than another Version, or scarce so good; yet for Unity (if it be not unlawful, or like to be more hurtful than the Diversity will be) they ought to concur. But still be it remembred that the Churches Peace or Unity should be laid by Agreements on nothing unnecessary. And therefore all agreements may not be seconded with an avoiding all Dissenters.
17. Because in the great Case [of taking Members from other Churches or Parishes] the Exception from the general Rule (of Parish Limits) cannot be so enumerated as punctually to resolve each Doubt that may occur, let us first lay down what Rules or Exceptions we can agree on; at least this general, that we will take no such Person into our Churches, when it tendeth more to the hurt than the furtherance of the common Good and Christian Cause: And therefore that we will first bring the particular case to the Association, or at least be there responsible concerning it, as we are about other Church Affairs. Accordingly when any is actually offended, that another hath taken a Member out of his or another's Church or Parish, let the Association hear the case on both sides; and if they justifie the accused there is an End; if not, they are to convince him or them that they go against some Rule of Scripture or Nature, e. g. against the Honour of Christ, and good of the Churches or christian Cause. And if neither he nor they can be convinced nor brought to reform after sufficient Admonition, it must be considered whether the case be small and tollerable, or great and intollerable: If the former, we must bear with it, yet professing our Judgment against it; if intollerable, we must proceed to disclaim Communion with the guilty, and so to exclude them from the Association and common Communion, which yet must not be done but in heinous cases. And thus the particular cases must be tryed and concluded as they fall out, for there is no laying down any Rule beforehand that will fit all cases particularly.
18. Those first Associations being composed of such Pastors and Churches as are near and within a capacity of such Communion (as aforesaid) voluntarily combined, should also hold correspondence with Neighbour Associations, either by Delegates in some more general Meetings (as in each County one); or at least, by Letters and Messengers; which Communion is to be extended, even as far as our Natural Capacity extendeth, and the Edification or Preservation of the Churches shall require it.
And thus the Presbyterians and Congregational Men are agreed, if they are willing. If all will not, let those agree that have hearts, and not stay for the rest.
And here you see a Satisfaction to your two Demands. My Question was, What are the things that the Congregational must have, and will insist on, the denial whereof doth binder our Unity and Agreement. Your Answer was in these words, [To manage all Church Affairs by the Elders and Brethren within themselves, and without dependance, unless for Advice, on any other Ecclesiastical Power. 2. To take in such as are qualified and freely offer themselves to joyn, though of other Parishes. Yet so, as if a particular Church in that Parish, which for the Substance is gathered, according to the Order of the Gospel, and the Party a Member thereof, an account is to be given to the Church or the Elders of it, of the Cause of his removal, that it may be, if possible, with consent.] And this is all that hinders our Agreement it seems. Alas, 1. For the first, it is granted you in terminis, only in point of Ordination: yield but to be Ordained by Teaching Elders, which you confess lawful, and others think necessary. And remember, 1. That to depend on other Ecclesiastical Power, even for Advice, is a great dependance. 2. That to depend on them, not as a Superiour Power, but as a Link upon the Chain, for Union and Communion, we can never exempt you from, nor will you sure desire it. There is a fourfold Advice; 1. An Authoratative Advice of Governours (as Parents, Schoolmasters, Pastors,) to their Inferiours, who are bound to obey them, on a double account, ratione materiae & authoritatis. Thus the Pastors in a Synod advise their Flocks conjunctly. 2. The Authoratative Advice of one Officer to another. And so, as we preach to one another, I think as Christ's Ministers, we must advise one another. 3. An Advice of a Major part among Equals in Order to Union and Concord, and this is the Principal to be respected in these Conventions. 4. An Advice of a private Person, not authorized by Office, and this binds but ratione materiae, &c. 2. To your second, you will grant (as I hope by the printed Debates) that ordinarily Parish-bounds, shall be the Rule for Limitation (alter Parishes if they be amiss): and that you'l not swerve from this Rule, but upon necessary Cause, and not when it is to the apparent wrong of the Cause and Interest of Christ, and you will yield to be responsible to the Association which you are a Member of, concerning the Case, when you are questioned. And this shall agree us.
And why should I not add two Propositions for Peace with the Episcopal? That way, or the Persons are not so contemptible (if you consider the Antiquity, the great Difficulty, their Number and Extent, and the Works of many of them) as to be refused our Communion, though on some Abatements to them.
Prop. 19. Let therefore these Presbyteries of particular Churches have one to be the stated President, as long as he is found fittest, and let all the Associations (at least where Episcopal worthy Men require it) have such fixed Presidents, quam diu bene se gesserint (as your Assembly at Westminster had) by common Consent. Bishop Hall and Usher say, this will satisfie, but it will not without the next.
Prop. 20. Seeing the Presbyterians and Congregational say, That (except in case of necessity) it's lawful to forbear Ordination till the President be there, and One, and to take him with you; and the Episcopal say, That it's of necessity; therefore let the Case of Necessity and the Title be purposely silenced, and left to each Man's Judgment; but de facto, let your Licet yield for Peace to their Oportet, at least for some years trial. And agree to Ordain none (but in necessity) without the President, as he shall Ordain none without the Consent of the Association, or at least the Elders of the Church where he is President, and where he Ordaineth (if there be any left). I suppose, as to a Parochial or Congregational President, in one Eldership, you will grant this! and why not to the President of the Association, for Peace? when he that is Ordained a Pastor of your particular Church, is thereupon made an Officer in the Universal, therefore others should have some care of it, or else—I'le let Objections pass in silence, only desire you, if these two last dislike you, not therefore presently to reject the rest, but lay these by.
On these Terms, in the two last Propositions, Bishop Usher, when I propounded them to him, told me, That the Episcopal Party might well agree with us, and the moderate would, but the rest would not.
To my Reverend Brother Mr. Philip Nye.
§ 47. After this I was yet desirous to make a fuller Attempt for the reconciling of those Controversies, so far as that we might hold Communion together: And I drew up a larger Writing, instancing in about Ten Points of Difference between the Presbyterians and Independants, proving that the Differences were not such as should hinder Concord and Communion: The Writing being too large to be here inserted, you shall have with the rest at the end of the History*This Writing, being some how or other mistard, cannot as yet be found.. Since Prelacy was restored there hath been no Opportunity to Debate these Matters, for the Reasons aforesaid, and many others: Only I put these Papers into Mr. G. Grissith's hand, who speaketh much for Reconciliation: And when I call'd for them about a year after, he had shewed them to none, nor made any use of them, which might tend to the desired Concord; and so I took them away, as expecting no more success.
§ 48. About the same time, the great Controversie that troubled all the Church being about the Qualification of Church Members, I apprehended that the want of a due and solemn manner of Transition from the Number of Infant-Members into the Number of the Adult, was the cause both of Anabaptistry and Independency, and that the right performance of this (as Calvin, and our Rubrick in the Common Prayer would have Confirmation performed) would be the most excellent Expedient both for Reformation and Reconciliation (finding that the Independants themselves approved of it). I meditated how to get this way of rectified Confirmation restored and introduced: when in the mean time came forth a Treatise for this way of Confirmation by Mr. Ionathan Hanmer, very judiciously and piously written: And because it was sent me with a Request to write my Judgment of it, I put an Epistle before it, further to prove the desirableness of the thing! The Book was very well accepted when it came abroad: but some wrote to me, desiring me not only to shew the usefulness of it; but also to produce some fuller Scripture Proofs that it is a Duty: whereupon I wrote a little Treatise that is called, [Confirmation the way to Reformation and Reconciliation]: And in my own Congregation I began so much of the Practice of it, as is acknowledged to belong to Presbyters to do.
§ 49. And about the same time, while Cromwell professed to do all that he could for the equal promoting of Godliness and Peace, and the Magistrates Assistance greatly facilitating the Work of the Ministers, and many Ministers neglected their Duty because the Magistrate compelled not the People to submit to them, and some never administred the Lord's Supper, because they thought nothing but Constraint by the Magistrate would enable them to do it aright. And on the other Extream, Cromwell himself, and such others, commonly gave out that they could not understand what the Magistrate had to do in Matters of Religion; and they thought that all Men should be left to their own Consciences, and that the Magistrate could not interpose but he should be ensnared in the Guilt of Persecution; I say, while these Extreams prevailed, upon the Discourses of some Independants, I offered them a few Proposals suited to those Times, containing those few Duties by which a willing Magistrate might easily settle the Church in a safe and holy Peace, without incurring the guilt of Persecution or Profaneness or Licentiousness: but having no Correspondency with Cromwell, or any of his Council, they were never shewed, or made use of any further, than for the perusal of him to whom I gave them, (who being one of their Faction, I thought it possible he might have further improved them). The Paper was this which followeth: