Irenicum to the Lover of Truth and Peace, Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII.
The fourth dividing practiſe,The 4. Dividing practice. Gathering of Churches diſorderly.
THis is cryed out of as the greateſt dividing practice of all: You may ſpeak of this or that to be dividing amongſt us, ſay ſome, but above all things, this Gathering of Churches is the great divider amongſt us.
To this I ſhall ſpeak in theſe ſix things.
Firſt, it is not abſolutely unlawfull for a Church to be gathered out of a Church. Voetius that learned Profeſſor of Ʋiretcht, Alioquin Chriſtiani collecti ex Judaeis & divulſi ab eorum Eccleſia antiquiſſima & celeberrima eſſent ſchiſmatici, Voet. Deſpera a cauſa papatus, l. 3. ſect. 8.anſwering Janſenius, pleading againſt us for ſeperating from the Romiſh Church, which was the moſt ancient and famous Church: No, ſayes he, it is not abſolutely evill to ſeparate from ſuch a Church, for then the Chriſtians gathering themſelves out of the Jewiſh Church were Schiſmaticks, which is falſe.
Doctor Jackſon, a Prelaticall man, in the 14. Chapter of his Treatiſe of the Church, gives two reaſons which he ſayes are juſt and neceſſary, for which men (whether few or many) may and ought to ſeperate themſelves from any viſible Church. Firſt, becauſe they are urged or conſtrained to profeſſe or beleeve, ſome points of doctrine,Two cauſes for which a man may ſeperate from a viſible Church. or to adventure upon ſome practices which are contrary to the rule of Faith or love of God. Second, in caſe they are utterly deprived of freedome of Conſcience in profeſſing what they inwardly beleeve, or bereft of ſome other meanes, either altogether neceſſary, or moſt expedient to ſalvation. For which latter he quotes, 1 Cor. 7. 23. Ye are bought with a price, bee not ye ſervants of men. Although (ſayes he) we were perſwaded that we could communicate with ſuch a Church, without evident danger of damnation, yet inaſmuch as we cannot communicate with it upon any better termes, then legall ſervants or bondſlaves doe with their Maſters, we are bound in conſcience and religious diſcretion, when lawfull occaſions and opportunities ore offered, to uſe our liberty, and to ſeeke our freedome rather then to live in bondage.
This doctrine was allowed of in the Biſhops times. Now ſuppoſe upon theſe two grounds there be a withdrawing from a Church, Chriſt does no where require his people to live without Ordinances all their dayes, rather then they ſhould joyne themſelves together into another body.
Secondly, yet where theſe cauſes are not, but men may communicate without ſinne, profeſſing the truth, and enjoy all ordinances, as the freemen of Chriſt. Men muſt not ſeperate from a Church, though there be corruption in it, to gather into a new Church which may be more pure, and in ſome reſpects more comfortable. Firſt, becauſe we never finde the Saints in Scripture ſeperating or raiſing Churches in ſuch a caſe: and ſecondly, There would be no continuance in Church fellowſhip, if this were admitted: for what Church is ſo pure, and hath all things ſo comfortable, but within a while another Church will be more pure, and ſome things will be more comfortable there? The generall peace of the Church ſhould be more regarded by us, then ſome comfortable accommodations to our ſelves.
Thirdly, Although you cannot for the preſent communicate with the Church, in which you are, without ſinne, or bondage, yet you are not preſently to withdraw, to gather into another, or to joyne with another, you are bound to give ſo much reſpect to the Church, as to continue with much long-ſuffering, to ſeeke the good of that Church, to remove the ſinne that is upon it, with all good meanes you can. You muſt beare much with a brother, much more with a Church.
Fourthly, If things were in that ordered and ſettled way, as they ought, there ought to be no gathering of any new Churches without conſulting and adviſing with neighbour Churches, Chriſt would have all Churches unite themſelves, and have conjunction one with another, being all of the ſame body of Chriſt: If then there be to be raiſed a new Siſter Church, that expects and is to deſire the benefit of Communion with the reſt, there is all the reaſon in the world that the helpe, advice, and aſſiſtance of the other Churches ſhould be made uſe of in the raiſing and ordering this Church that they are thus to owne in the way of communion with them to whom they are to give the right hand of fellowſhip.
Fifthly, All beleevers who live in a place together, ought ſo far as they can, joyne into one Church, though they be of different judgements and tempers, what ever things they differ in, yet if they may ſtand with grace they can have no encouragement from the examples of any of the Churches, we read of in Scripture, for them to divide themſelves into little pieces. The way of Chriſt all along in Scripture is, that all the Saints in ſuch a place, who are not more then can joyne in one, ſhould joyne together and make but one Church; certainly this is more for the honour of Chriſts Body then the diviſion of Saints in the ſame place into ſeverall little ſocieties, Chriſt ſtands much upon the union of his Saints in one, in all wayes, by all meanes that may be.
Sixtly, as things are yet with us, there is no ſuch great reaſon of that outcry there is amongſt us againſt gathering of Churches as ſo great a dividing practice as many ſeeme to make it.
How can this practiſe be ſo very offenſive, when almoſt all of you thinke it lawfull for a man for any commodiouſneſſe to remove from that Church of which now he is, to joyne with another, ſobeit he will remove his dwelling?
But theſe do not ſet up new Churches.
If a company of men who have eſtates,Anſw. ſhould not be ſatisfied with that Miniſtery that belongs to that company that now they are joyned with, and ſhould buy a piece of ground cloſe to the place where they were, and build upon it, and have leave of the State to make a new Pariſh of thoſe dwellings they build; who would blame them for gathering a Church thus? Hence it is apparent, that withdrawing from our Churches, and gathering other, is not according to the judgements of our Brethren againſt any Church Principle; the offence that is, is onelyonly againſt ſome civill conſtitution.
Secondly, this thing in effect hath been ordinarily practiced heretofore without any offence to the godly; yea, and is ſtill practiced without any complaint: Hath it not beene and is it not ſtill ordinary for many not to communicate in the Pariſhes where they live? nor commonly to heare there, but from all parts of the City to come to ſome Pariſhes where they conceive the beſt Miniſters to be, and there to heare and communicate, and this in a conſtant way, and that with allowance to the maintenance of ſuch Miniſters? yea, and thus the Husband goes one way, and the Wife another, and yet none offended; it may be the Gentleman can content himſelfe with his Pariſh-Church, but his wife or Lady is not ſatisfied, but muſt go elſewhere.
If it be ſaid, But this was in a time when things were in great confuſion, not ſo reformed as now they are, and we hope may further be.
Then it is not howſoever ſimply unlawfull.Anſw. 1.
2. It continues ſo ſtill in many places of this City.
3. When you have reformed further, it may be mens conſciences will bee further ſatisfied; you may reforme ſo farre as you may prevent much of what you now complaine ſo much of.
But though they came for their preſent reliefe, yet they did not binde themſelves one to another by Covenant, ſo as men now doe.
If thoſe who came conſtantly to your Miniſtry and Sacraments had profeſſed their willingneſſe to joyne with you in all the Ordinances of Chriſt ſo farre as they knew,Anſw. and to walke accordingly, you might the more comfortably have adminiſtred ordinances to them, but offenſive to you it could not have been.
But their Covenant bindes them ſo,Object. that they cannot returne back againe, whatſoever reformation there be.
Doe you pray for and endeavour the putting on Reformation to the uttermoſt,Anſw. and then ſee what they will doe; they have not yet declared themſelves, that they hold themſelves ſo joyned by any Covenant, that they may not joyne with you; that what releife they have had for the preſent time, or what agreement there hath been amongſt themſelves, ſhould hinder them from falling into that way all along held forth in Scripture; namely, for all the Saints that live together, to joyne in one, ſo farre as poſſible they can.
But theſe who gather Churches thus, looke upon all others who are not in that way as Heathens; and what diviſion muſt this needs make?
If this were ſo,Anſw. it were a ſad dividing practice indeed; wicked men cannot endure to be thus judged of, to be caſt out as unworthy of Church-fellowſhip, much leſſe can the Saints bee able to beare it, it muſt needes go neerer to their hearts. Aben Ezra ſayes, the Ammonites and Moabites burnt the bookes of the Law, becauſe of that place, Deut. 23. 3. An Ammonite or Moabite ſhall not enter into the Congregation of the Lord, even to their tenth Generation. If an Ammonite or Moabite cannot beare the being ſhut out of the Congregation of the Lord,Mald. in Lam. 1, 2. how can the Saints beare it? But God knows, and our Brethren may know, I hope they ſhall know, that the thing is not ſo: O no, they looke upon you as the precious Saints of God, their deare Brethren in Jeſus Chriſt, they bleſſe God for the graces they ſee in you, and rejoice in the hope of living eternally in Heaven with you.
But why then will they not admit them to their communion?
In all worſhip that belongs to Saints,Anſw. as Saints they joyfully joyne with them; but they thinke there is ſome that belongs to Saints as gathered in a Society under Officers, which cannot be performed orderly but in that way; and they think it unreaſonable, that any ſhould have the benefit of the priviledges of the Church, and be under no power, no diſcipline of any Church; that they ſhould pick and chooſe Ordinances, and yet live at liberty; ſo that if they walke diſorderly, no Church hath any power to call them to an account. Suppoſe this to be a reaſon why they admit not of ſome, this is another thing then the judging of them to be Heathens.
Let me ſay further, I know none of theſe congregated Churches, either here or in other parts, that ever refuſed any who appeared to be godly, from communicating with them, if they did but acknowledge themſelves to be members of any Church elſewhere, though that Church were in a differing way from it in reſpect of government.
You will ſay, What need that?
If it be to prevent looſeneſſe in men who will be under no government,Anſw. if it be becauſe they judge Sacramentall communion to be a Church-Ordinance; or if it ſhould be through a miſtake, yet howſoever this muſt not be judged to be the cauſe that they judge all, that doe not joyne with them to be as Heathens▪ this is the moſt uncharitable interpretation that can be.