The True Way of Concord of All the Christian Churches, Part 3 · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII.
A Summary Recital of the true Terms of Concord, and ſome of the true Cauſes of Schiſm.
THE Sum of all that is ſaid of Schiſm and Unity, is this.
§ I. Schiſm is an unlawful ſeparating from one, or many Churches, or making Parties and Diviſions in them, and is cauſed uſually, either
1. By unskilful, proud Church-Tyrants, Dogmatiſts, or Superſtitious Perſons, by departing from Chriſts inſtituted terms of Concord, the Chriſtian Purity and Simplicity, and denying Communion to thoſe that unite not on their ſinful or unneceſſary ſelf-deviſed terms, and obey not their enſnaring Canons or Wills; or malignantly forbidding what Christ hath commanded, and excommunicating and perſecuting men for obeying him.
2. Or elſe by erroneous proud ſelf-conceited perſons, that will not unite and live in Communion upon Chriſts inſtituted terms, but feigning ſome Doctrine or Practice of their deviſing to be true, good and neceſſary, which is not; or ſomething to be intolerably ſinful that is good or lawful, do therefore caſt off their Guides, and the Communion of the Church as unlawful, on pretence of chooſing a better neceſſary way.
§ II. 2. The neceſſary means of Unity and Church Concord, are theſe.
1. That every Catechized underſtanding perſon, profeſſing Repentance, Belief and Conſent to the Baptiſmal Covenant, and the Children of ſuch dedicated by them to Chriſt be Baptized. And the Baptized accounted Chriſtians having right to Chriſtian Communion, till their Profeſſion be validly diſproved by an inconſiſtent Profeſſion or Converſation; that is, by ſome Doctrine againſt the Eſſence of Chriſtianity, or ſome ſcandalous wilful ſin, with Impenitence after ſufficient Admonition: And that no man be Excommunicated, that is not proved thus far to Excommunicate himſelf: And that the Catechized or Examined perſon be put upon no other profeſſion of Belief, Conſent and Practice, as interpreting the Sacramental Covenant, but of the Articles of the Creed, the Lords Prayer and Decalogue, underſtood; and the general belief of, conſent to, and practice of all that he diſcerneth to be the Word of God.
2. That in Church Caſes and Religion,
I. The Magiſtrate have the onelyonly publick judgment whom he ſhall countenance and maintain, or tolerate, and whom he ſhall puniſh, or not tolerate nor maintain: and never be the Executioner of the Clergies Sentence, without, or againſt his own Conſcience and Judgment.
II. That the Ordainers (being the ſenior Paſtors, or a Biſhop or Preſident with other Paſtors, which is to be left to the concurrent judgments of themſelves, and the people) be the Judges of the fitneſs of the Ordained perſon to be a Miniſter of Chriſt, and the ſaid Paſtors in their reſpective particular Churches, be the Key-bearers, or Judges, who is to be Baptized, and admitted to Communion in the Church, and who not; and not conſtrained to Baptize, or to give or deny Communion there, by the judgment of others againſt their Conſciences, (though in caſe of forfeiture, or juſt cauſe, they may be removed from that Church, or from the ſacred Office.)
III. That the People of that Church be the private diſcerning Judges, who ſhall be their Paſtors, to whoſe conduct they will truſt their Souls; if not ſo far as to be the firſt Electors, at leaſt ſo far as to have a free conſenting or diſſenting power; and they be not forced to truſt their Souls with any man as a Paſtor againſt their Conſciences: And that every man be the private diſcerning Judge of his own Duty to God and Man, and of his ſin forbidden; and of his own ſecret Caſe, whether he believe in God and Chriſt, and purpoſe to obey him, or whether he be an Atheiſt, or Infidel, or ſecretly wicked, and ſo fit or unfit for Baptiſm and Communion; ſo that though he be not to be received without the judgment of the Paſtors, yet he may exclude himſelf, if conſcious of incapacity; and therefore that none be forced by corporal Penalties or Mulcts, to be Baptized, or to Communicate.
3. That the Chriſtian Magiſtrate make three ſorts of Laws, one for the approved and maintained Churches and Paſtors; another for the Tolerated; and a third ſort for the Intolerable.
I. And that a ſufficient number of the ableſt, ſoundeſt, and worthieſt Miniſters, be made the publick, approved, maintained Preachers and Paſtors. And where Pariſh Bounds are judged neceſſary, that all perſons living in the Pariſh be conſtrained to contribute proportionably to maintain the Pariſh Miniſters, and Temple, and Poor; and to hear publick Teaching, and to worſhip God, either in that or ſome other Approved or Tolerated Church, within their convenient reach or neighborhood.
II. And that the Tolerated Miniſters (tryed and licenſed) have protection and peace in the publick exerciſe of their Miniſtery, though not Approbation and Maintenance.
III. But that the Intolerable be reſtrained by ſutable reſtraints.
4. That the Approved and Maintained Miniſters be put to ſubſcribe their Belief of, Conſent to, and reſolved practice or obedience of all the Sacred Canonical Scriptures, ſo far as by diligent ſtudy they are able to underſtand them; and more particularly of the Chriſtian Religion ſummarily contained in the Sacramental Covenant, and in the ancient Creeds received by the Univerſal Church, the Lords Prayer, and the Decalogue, as it is the Law of Chriſt, and expounded by him in the Holy Scriptures: And that they will be faithful to the King and Kingdom; and as Miniſters will faithfully guide the Flocks in holy Doctrine, Worſhip, Diſcipline and Example of Life, labouring to promote Truth, Holineſs, Love, Peace and Juſtice, for the ſalvation of mens Souls, the edification of the Church, and the glorifying and pleaſing of God our Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier.
And that the ſaid Maintained Miniſters be tyed by the regulating Laws which determine only ſuch circumſtances as in genere are neceſſary to be agreed in for Uniformity, and common harmony: As of Time, Place, Pariſh Bounds, what Tranſlation of Scripture to uſe, what Verſion of Pſalms, what decent Habit, &c. not put to profeſs Approbation of all theſe, but required to uſe them, and cenſured if they do not.
5. That the Tolerated Miniſters ſubſcribe all the ſame things, except theſe laſt Regulating Laws for Circumſtances of Order.
6. That either a Catalogue of Errors and Sins be drawn up in the Law which no Miniſter ſhall preach; or elſe it be left to the Judges to diſcern when any is proved to preach againſt any neceſſary Article of his ſubſcribed Profeſſion: And it is meet that the Catalogue prohibited to the Maintained Miniſters, be larger than that prohibited to the Tolerated, ſome Errors being tolerable, which are not approvable. And it is not the firſt fault that ſhould ſuſpend or ſilence either of them, but obſtinacy after a firſt and ſecond admonition. Yea, many leſſer Errors muſt be puniſhed only with congruous Mulcts, or Rebukes, or after that with loſs of Maintenance, that are not to be puniſhed with Silencing.
7. That no other Teſt, Profeſſion, Covenant, Subſcription or Promiſe be required of any, as neceſſary to Miniſtery or Communion, which may become dividing Snares and Engines: But only that where Papal Tyrannies, or any other Uſurpers, claim it dangerous to the Church and Kingdom, the Eſſentials of that Papacy or Uſurpation be expreſly renounced by all that will have Maintenance or Toleration; yet not on this pretence making every claim of Patriarchs, Archbiſhops, Biſhops, Councils, or Synods of Presbyters, which others think to be a Uſurpation, to be ſo dangerous as the Papacy, and ſo the renunciation of them as neceſſary; becauſe ſuch exiſtent perſons claim not ſuch Power, nor make ſuch Laws, for depoſing Kings, and murdering or exterminating Diſſenters: which if they do, they muſt be expreſly renounced: elſe the keeping out uſurping practice is enough.
8. The Chriſtian Magiſtrate muſt keep Peace among all, both the Approved and Tolerated, and not ſuffer any unpeaceable Preaching or Diſputes; which tend to deſtroy Love, and Quietneſs; nor ſuffer railing Calumnies againſt each other, to be publiſhed or printed.
§ III. 1. Particular Churches and their Paſtors ſhould be ſo far Aſſociated, as is neceſſary to their mutual peace, concord and ſtrength: And therefore ſhould keep frequent Synods for Correſpondency to theſe Ends; and by Meſſengers and Letters alſo keep up their Brotherly Concord.
2. But whether theſe Aſſociations of ſingle Churches ſhould be headed by Dioceſanes, Metropolitanes, Archbiſhops, Primates, Patriarchs, moſt think is a matter of meer humane Prudence.
3. But certainly the Magiſtrate muſt ſee, that neither the Synods, nor their Heads or Preſidents tyrannize; … inſtead of Aſſemblies for Concord, become an Ariſtocratical or Monarchical Church-Government; nor force not any to approve of them, or ſuch humane Forms of Churches; much leſs that they infringe not the Rights and Liberties of the Churches formed by the inſtitution of Chriſt and his Apoſtles.
§ IV. Yet more briefly, 1. Approving the be…. 2. Tolerating the Tolerable. 3. Sacraments fre…, … not forced. 4. The Intolerable reſtrained. 5. The teſt of Toleration being this, Whether ſuch Tolerated Worſhip do more good or hurt in true impartial judgment. 6. Magiſtrates keeping all in peace] would heal us.
FINIS.
End of the text · Richard Baxter, The True Way of Concord of All the Christian Churches (1680)