The Divine Institution of Congregational Churches, Title page – Errata
THE Divine Inſtitution OF Congregational Churches, Miniſtry and Ordinances, [As has bin Profeſſed by thoſe of that Perſuaſion] Aſſerted and Proved from the WORD of GOD.
Hebrews 8.5, 6. Moſes was admoniſhed of God ſaying, ſee that thou make all things according to the Pattern ſhewed thee in the Mount: But he [i. e. Christ] hath obtained a more excellent Miniſtry, &c.
Hebrews 3.5, 6. Moſes verily was faithful in all his [i. e. God's] Houſe as a Servant, &c. but Chriſt as a Son over his own Houſe, whoſe Houſe are we.
Ezek. 43.11. If they be aſhamed of all that they have done, ſhew them the form of the Houſe, and the faſhion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the Ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof [i. e. of the Ordinances] and all the Laws thereof, and write it in their ſight, that they may keep the whole form thereof, and all the Ordinances thereof, and do them.
By Iſaac Chauncy, M. A.
LONDON: Printed for Nathanael Hiller, at the Princes Arms in Leaden-Hall Street, over againſt St. Mary Ax, 1697.
TO THE READER.
ALL True Religion wherein Man can have any acceſs unto God, with acceptation, muſt be revealed to him by God; For tho Humane Reaſon, and the remaining innate Light in Fallen Man, may ſhew him that there is a God, and but one God (as it hath done to ſome of the Heathen Philoſophers) And that this God is to be ſerved and worſhipped by the Intelligent Creatures which he hath made, from his Right over them by Creation and Providence; and alſo from the Impreſſion of ſome Moral Principles yet abiding, Rom. 1.20. & 2.14, 15. And ſo far Natural Religion hath gone of it ſelf, by the conduct of the natural light of Reaſon and Conſcience only; Yet never any farther, and rarely ſo far; ſuch is the loſt and deplorable state of Fallen Man. But for any Man to pretend to know what God is in his Eſſence and Subſiſtence; and how this God will be worſhipped without Divine Revelation, or beyond, or otherwiſe than he hath revealed is the highest and most irrational Preſumption in the World that vain Man who would be wiſe, can be Guilty of: For if Adam in Eden before the Fall, notwithſtanding all the perfection of his Creation, muſt have a divine Revelation over and above, to direct his right behaviour there, in his duty of obedience unto God: How much more is ſuch Revelation needful to him and his Apoſtate Race ſince the Fall? Let them that deny the neceſſity of Revelation to the knowledge of what God is, and how he ſhould be worſhipped aright for his Glory, and Man's Eternal Welfare, if they own the Scriptures to be the Word of God (which many ſuch do not, therefore not to be Diſputed with as Christians, but as Heathens and Infidels) but read the Scriptures ſeriouſly, and for the preſent a few places here noted (only conſider them well) Job 11.6, 7, 8, 9, 12. Iſa. 55.8, 9. Deut. 29.29. Rom. 1.21.22, 23. ch. 11.33, 34. 1 Cor. 2.10, 11, 12, 14, 16. & ch. 3.18.19, 20.
Tho moſt that profeſs themſelves Chriſtians dare not explicitely deny the truth of what is above aſſerted; yet many of them do practically and interpretatively deny it, by meaſuring the deep things of God, and the Mind of the Spirit, not by it ſelf, comparing ſpiritual things with ſpiritual, but by their own carnal, ſhallow and fallacious reaſonings and imaginations, as alſo by taking up ſuch ways of Worſhip which he never ordained; built wholly, or for the moſt part, upon Humane Authority, Laws, Tradition, Intereſt, &c. but not on Christ. Such hath bin the abomination (ſince the working of the Myſtery of iniquity) which hath made all true Religion deſolate in the greatest part of the World profeſſing it, or pretending thereto.
Wherefore as to matter and manner of Divine Worſhip, the great thing controverted in the World among the many Ways profeſſed and practiſed is, Who can lay the beſt Claim to Divine Authority. And hence it is that We (pretending alſo to the like claim) do here, not only declare what we hold in this weighty Point, but make our Plea for the beſt Right to Divine Authority for the worſhip of God in Congregational Churches: Which being the Sum and Deſign of the enſuing Treatiſe, 'tis needleſs here to inſist on.
And if this appear to be a juſt Plea, it might be enough to lay a ſufficient Obligation upon the Minds and Conſciences of all ſuch as fear God, out of true Love and Loyalty to Jeſus Christ to fall in immediately to a chearful compliance therewith, in obſervation of all things which he hath commanded, looking upon ſuch a ponderous weight in the ballance of the Sanctuary, abundantly enough to weigh down all other oppoſite Arguments of a lower alloy, ariſing from Prejudice, carnal Reaſon, or the Spirit of the World.
But becauſe ſuch carnal Reaſonings, ly as ſtumbling-blocks before many, keeping them from a ready embracing the ways of God, it may not be amiſs to ſpeak ſomething briefly to ſome of the greatest Objections which are made against the Divine Inſtitutions here laid before the Reader in the following Diſcourſe.
1. Some are ready to accuſe the Congregational Practice and Principles, As not comporting with Civil States and Government, and ſo would render them odious to Princes.
Anſw. Theſe are either deeply prejudiced againſt all the Ways of God, or ſpeak evil of ſuch things which they know not: For, it's ſufficiently known to be the avowed Principle and Practice of ſuch as are of the Congregational Perſuaſion, That there's no Power but of God, and ordained by him, and that they ought to be ſubject to Magistracy for Conſcience ſake, to pay Tribute, and give unto Ceſar the things that are Ceſars. Their Lord and Maſter ſet himſelf for their Example in this, and hath left it, with his Precept upon Record, which they dare not but obey.
2. Their Principles are diametrically oppoſite to the aſſuming or claiming a Power over, or ſhare in the Government of the Civil State, by virtue of any Eccleſiaſtical Relation, Miniſterial or other. What they lay claim to of Civil Rights and Priviledges is no more than what is equally due to them with other Subjects.
3. As they are bound to believe by the Word of God, That they ought not to ſubject their Conſciences to Humane Will or Laws in ſpiritual things; ſo they believe it belongs not to them to ſubordinate and ſubject Magiſtratick Power and Laws to Church Cenſures, or require them to be Executioners thereof; Chriſt's Government in his Churches being compleat enough within its ſelf to anſwer all the ſpiritual ends and purpoſes thereof, for which it was Ordained, without the inſtrumentality of any foreign coercive power whatſoever.
4. When Chriſt firſt inſtituted Churches, and for many Years after, they were to be under Heathen Emperors; which ſhewed (1.) That he did not Ordain ſuch a Conſtitution as was deſtructive to any Civil Government, even the worſt. (2.) That the Oeconomy erected by Chriſt and his Apoſtles was ſufficient to anſwer all Intents and Purpoſes of Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction without dependance upon the States and Princes of the World for the execution thereof, and was fully practical under any Civil Powers, who would but permit the Profeſſion of Christianity according to Mens Conſciences.
2. If any Alledge, That the Congregational Practice abridgeth the People of their Liberty.
We anſwer 1. If by liberty be meant liberty to ſin, this all Religions muſt profeſs to reſtrain; that which doth not, is not to be called Religion; and this is no more than all Christian Magiſtrates ought to do. Beſides, a liberty to Sin is the moſt Diabolical Slavery in the World. 2. Our Way deprives Men of no lawful Civil Liberties. 3. It doth no more deprive Men of Spiritual Liberties, than a Civil Corporation-Government deprives Men of Civil Liberties. For 1. Both the one and the other have the most deſirable Immunities and Priviledges granted by Charter in their reſpective kinds. 2. There are no Members made by a coercive power, all voluntarily offer themſelves. 3. There are no Members admitted or caſt out by an Arbitrary and Deſpotick Power, but all is done by the conſent of the Body Politick. 4. A Church is made a Priſon to none, but any one may depart to another orderly and regularly, when called thereto. 5. As all Members are admitted, ſo all Miniſterial Officers are choſen by Conſent and Agreement of the Body; none are impoſed. 6. As all Tryals of offending Perſons in a Civil Corporation are by the Neighbourhood as to matter of fact, ſo in a Spiritual Corporation all ſuch Judicial Proceedings are in a way of Tryal firſt in the Church by the Brotherhood, upon whoſe Judgment of Guilty or not Guilty, the Elder paſſeth Sentence of Condemnation or Abſolution.
3. If any object Strictneſs of the Terms of Admiſſion. It is Anſwered 1. All Vertuous Perſons like thoſe Societies beſt that ſtand upon the ſtricteſt Terms of Admiſſion, for they are likely to be pureſt. 2. Have not all Families, Companies, Corporations their Terms of Admiſſion which they will ſtand upon? Is it not fit you ſhould be qualified as the Society expects, and ſubmit to the Laws of the Society by expreſs Agreement? Is it fit you ſhould enjoy the Immunities of a Family, or other Society, without a due qualification and obligation? Without the firſt you are unmeet, without the latter ungovernable. 3. The Terms are reaſonable, and as eaſie as poſſible for a Spiritual Society, a houſhold of Faith; as is made appear in the following Treatiſe. And whatever ſlight Terms of Admittance you are for, whilſt a non-Member; if you have the true Grace of God in your heart, when you become a Member, you will not be willing others ſhould be ſo admitted, leſt it ſhould make ſuch a foul Houſe as your ſelf will not be able long to endure.
4. Some one will ſay or think, I am loth to come under the Obſervation, Obligation and Charge of Church-Memberſhip: I hope I ſhall go to Heaven without it, tho I would willingly have my Child baptized.
Anſ. 1. Take this altogether, and it's a great queſtion whether ſuch an one hath Grace in his heart, or hath any good grounds of Hope that he ſhall go to Heaven: For it argues looſneſs of heart and life and Covetouſneſs which is Idolatry; yea, and plain Hypocriſie, that he would have his Child baptized, meerly for form and Reputation ſake. For I would ſay to ſuch an one, 1. Is not one Seal of the Covenant of as much weight to a Believer as another? Wilt thou baptize thy Child as thy duty, and neglect the other Seal for thy Worldly Advantage, and ſo indulge thy ſelf in Sin? By what right doſt thou claim Baptiſm for thy Child? Is it by vertue of Abraham's Covenant? And doſt thou openly profeſs it, and wilt not ſtipulate to the ſaid Covenant? How art thou ſuch a Child of Abraham as the Bleſſing is come upon? ſurely not the Bleſſing of Church-Memberſhip. Obj. But I hope my Infant hath right to Baptiſm, tho I am no Church-Member. Anſ. He that himſelf is ſuch, as that if he were un-baptized, he hath no right to Baptiſm, cannot plead right for his Child: But no non-Member can plead right to any Seal, the Seals of the Covenant being given to the Church, and not to the World; nor one Seal to the World, and the other to the Church. Obj. But I am a Member of the Catholick Church by my Perſonal Covenanting with God. Anſ. 1. Who knows what thy private and ſecret actions be; to verifie the Truth of what thou ſaiſt, the Church calls thee to Covenant with God and them: If thou wilt partake of the Priviledges of the Church, and if thou haſt bin ſerious in Covenanting privately, thou wilt be as willing to Covenant openly with God and his Church; for he that Covenants ſocially, Covenants but perſonally, and he that Covenants with Christ, Covenants with him ſocially, tho ſecretly, for he takes him as Head of the Mystical Body. So that the Notion of Perſonal and Social Covenanting makes not a legal diſtinction, having no ſufficient diſſentaniety of parts, they differing but ratione only, and ſo are but diverſa; not ratione & re, ſo as to be vera oppoſita. 2. Such perſonal Covenanting as you intend, (if it be real) makes you but a Member of the Myſtical Body of Chriſt, not of any viſible Church, which alone is the ſubject of the Seals and other Ordinances. 3. The Proſelytes publickly embraced Abraham's Covenant, and joined to the Church thereby, under the Old Teſtament, before they were circumciſed, and under the New Teſtament before they were baptized. For the firſt ſee Deut. 29.11, 12. where the Stranger covenanted publickly with the Lord and ſocially with that Church in the Land of Moab juſt before they paſſed over Jordan, and were circumciſed by Joſhua, ch. 5.2, 3, 4. For the latter ſee Acts 2.39, 41. Peter makes them that manifeſted their Repentance, to ſtipulate publickly to Abraham's Covenant before they were baptized; And as many as declared their glad receiving and embracing the Promiſe for themſelves and Seed were baptized; for they who did not explicitely declare ſo much were not baptized, as appears by the Text.
In a Word, Doſt thou profeſs to be a Chriſtian? to have received Christ by Faith for righteouſneſs, and life, and to live Godly in Chriſt Jeſus? It is thy Duty then to join thy ſelf in Church-Fellowſhip, and thou ſinneſt greatly againſt God if thou dost not: For 1. Church-Memberſhip is one of the great parts of Abraham's Bleſſing, And wilt thou exclude thy ſelf from any part of ſo great a Gift? 2. Church-Memberſhip is a Spiritual Bleſſing that a Believer is bleſſed withal in Chriſt Jeſus, And ſhall not that be valued by thee? 3. A Believer in Chriſt hath right to Church Bleſſings, And wilt thou looſe thy Poſſeſſion for want of Claim? 4. If thou art a true Believer, Chriſt is precious to thee in all his Offices, in all his Relations; as Head of the Body, Apoſtle and High-Prieſt of thy Profeſſion; Wilt thou not be of that Body Politick to whom he is the Head? of that Houſe over which he is Lord, that thou mayſt offer ſpiritual Sacrifices? 5. He hath called thee out of the World, and thou art bound to come out and be ſeparate, and Covenant with God. 6. However thou profeſſeſt to be with Chriſt; in this thou art againſt him, and ſcattereſt abroad. 7. Haſt thou taſted that the Lord is gracious, and ſo art become a living Stone? then thou art to come to Chriſt the chief Corner-Stone in Church-Fellowſhip, to be built up a ſpiritual Houſe, and united therein by Joints and Bands, to be a fellow-Citizen of the Saints, and to help to fill up a holy Political Temple for a Habitation of God by the Spirit. 8. Thou wilt never grow kindly in Grace out of a Church; for that is God's Garden, his Vineyard which he Plants, Prunes, Waters with Bleſſings continually on all the means of Grace there. 9. What Fellowſhip canſt thou have in the World? What communion hath Chriſt with Belial, Light with Darkneſs, &c.? 10. Thou lyeſt open to multitude of Temptations; and no wonder if God ſuffers them to prevail. 11. Thou thinkeſt thou gaineſt as to the World by not engaging in Church-Fellowſhip, and ſaiſt it is not time to build God's Houſe, but dost thou not carry out much and bring in little, and put what thou getteſt into a Bag with Holes? 12. To join to a Church of Christ is the highest way of glorifying God viſibly in the World. 13. Thou canſt never have that Communion with God out of Church-Fellowſhip as in. 14. Whilſt thou profeſſeſt Christ and continueſt a non-Member, thou art a ſcandal to thy Profeſſion, and a means to harden the wicked.
Now laſtly, It may be expected that we give ſome Reaſons of Publiſhing this ſmall Treatiſe. The Reaſons are briefly theſe: 1. For the Honour and Intereſt of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; which is the main End deſigned, and all the following reaſons are in ſubordination thereto. 2. Becauſe it's time to build, and God in his Providence plainly ſpeaks it, in that he blows upon our outward things, and blaſts them daily, becauſe we let the Houſe of Godly waste. 3. To vindicate our ſelves againſt our falſe Accuſers, who render us ſuch as have little regard to the obſervation of whatever Chriſt commands. 4. Becauſe moſt of the Writings of the faithful Builders are out of Print, or not eaſily obtained. 5. Becauſe many good People that have a love to Christ, and deſire to walk in obedience to all God's Commandments, want due instruction in theſe Points. Hence it was earnestly deſired that we would Publiſh ſuch a ſhort Treatiſe, and we dare not withhold the Truth in unrighteouſneſs. 6. Becauſe of the great degeneration and declination of the life of Chriſtianity, and ſtedfaſt and cloſe walking of Churches in all the parts of Goſpel Order, that they may repent and do their first works. 7. Not to impoſe on the Conſciences of any, but to hold forth unto them what light we have received from the Word of God, for the illumination of the ignorant, the ſtrengthening the weak, removing ſtumbling-blocks from ſuch as are offended at us, and encouragement of all ſuch as are willing and ready to build. He that hath Ears to hear let him hear what the Spirit ſaith unto the Churches: In which, Glory be to God by Jeſus Chriſt throughout all Ages, World without End, AMEN.
Errata: Page 2. line 7. r. Congregation was. p. 11. l. 22. r. ſocial; p. 13. l. 21. dele punctum, & for The r. the; p. 18. l. 6. à fi. for is, r. are; p. 20. l. 2. r. Catholicy; p. 38. l. 15. for any one, r. he; p. 41. l. 5. r. themſelves; p. 46. l. 17. r. diſcerned; p. 73. Margin. r. d Num. 8.10, 11.