The Dying Mans Testament to the Church of Scotland, Part 2 · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. Shewing more particularly what it is that private persons are called to in such a case.
IF it be asked then▪ What is that which private persons ought to do in such a case? Answ. They are certainly to contain themselves within their station, yet so, as some things are called for at such a time more than at another time; As, first, There is need of much circumspectnesse in our own personal walk and watchfulnesse, in observing of opportunities wherein we may edifie others, as Heb. 3. 13. Secondly▪ There is need of more frequency, and of a more weighty circumspect manner in giving private admonitions and exhortations, &c. Thirdly, There would be much exercise of prayer, and even fasting there with (though in a secret inoffensive manner) both for the restraining of offences which dishonour God, and for zeal to Officers to perform their duty; if in this respect, rivers of tears were running down our cheeks, because of the abounding of offences, there might be much more solid peace (we are … swaded) in keeping communion with others, than without that to separate with much, at least seeming pride and uncharitable cruelty in giving of offence to them, and thereby confirming them in their profanity. Fourthly, It is private persons duty to represent such offences, with their evidences, to Churchofficers, or Church-judicatories, thereby to put them to the removing of such offences. Fifthly, They may freely, though humbly and reverently, expostulate with Church-officers, when they are defective, and endeavour to convince them of that offence: The force of that precept, If thy brother offend thee, go and tell him, &c. warranteth so much; and this the Colossians are to say to Archippus, that he be not defective in his Ministery which he had received, &c, Col. 4. 17. This decently and convincingly done, is usefull. Sixthly, If all that prevail not, private persons may communicate it to other Church-officers; and no redresse following, it is their duty to follow it before the competent superiour Judicatories: for, Christ's direction, Tell the Church, importeth and warranteth the same.
If it be asked, What further is to be done, if that fail? Answ. We know no other publick redresse; Christ hath left it there, and so may we also. Neither can it be insttucted from Scripture, that Christ hath appointed separation to be the next step of a private persons duty for removing of offences, much lesse to go before these. Indeed the Scripture calleth for with-drawing from personall communion with grosse, scandalous persons, as a thing necessary; as also from communion in the corrupt designes and courses of any, though they may have a form of godlinesse, as 2 Tim. 3. 4, 5, &c. which doth belong to, and is comprehended under the first particular direction. And if these be faithfully observed by private Christians, we are hopefull that either there would be lesse ground of complaint for the defect of Church-officers, or more acces…e to remove such as continue unfaithfull, and more peace to the consciences of particular private Christians, and lesse offence and more edification to all, than any other way whatsoever.
That it is thus necessary for private persons to acquiesceWhy it is necessary to acquie…ce in the Churches Determination as to practice. in the Churches determination, in manner as is said, may appear from the unsetlednesse and confusion, both in private and publick, which otherwise would follow: For, either there must be a sisting in this determination of the Church, or, there must be some other period to fix at, or, there must be no fixing at all. Neither of the two last can be said, Therefore, &c. Not the last, to wit, that there is no fixing at all; for so a particular person that were offended, would not know what were duty, or what to follow; and it would infer a defect in the Lord's Ordinance in reference to His Peoples direction and peace in such cases, which is most absurd.
If the second be said, viz. That there is some other thing to fix on for quieting of consciences in such a case, as to their exoneration beyond that publick decision; We desire to know what that is which is called-for, and by what rule we are to proceed in it? If it be said, that in such a case the duty is to separate from that Church, where the plurality of Officers do admit such as are accounted to be scandalous; Then we ask, 1. What is next to be done? it must either be to continue as no member of a Church, which is both impossible and absurd. It is impossible that there can be any particular visible baptized member, and not belong to the visible body, at least, being considered, as the Church maketh one integral visible body. It's absurd, because it would say, That either Christ had no visible Church, or, that He hath an ordinary way of edifying by external Ordinances without His visible Church, or, that a person might be regardlesse of, and without His Church and Ordinances, and be approven of Him▪ and expect the benefit; yea, upon this supposition▪ the unfaithfulnesse of Church-officers in not casting-out of scandalous men, would infer the actual unchurching of those that were not scandalous, and so the sin of the one should be the punishment of the other, which is absurd.
If it be said that another Church of more pure members is to be gathered, in which persons in such cases are to joyn for obtaining of pure Ordinances; Then we ask further, What if such a Congregation cannot be had? Then, what is duty in that case? Is there a necessity of living without a visible Church-state, wanting all Church-ordinances to our selves, and Baptism to our children? What can be the fruit of that? Is it not a more uncontrovertible hazard to put our selves without all communion of Churchordinances, than to enjoy them where they are pure, though some joynt partakers be offensive? Is not the other the way to make our children heathens, and for ever to be without Baptism, seing warrantably they cannot be entered where we cannot a bide? Doth not this also make way to make all the Ordinances contemptible, and to be undervalued by the profane, seing such persons do so conten…edly live without them?
Further, we ask▪ What if other persons and we cannot agree upon jo…nt members; for, if it be left to mens particular discerning, that rule is uncertain and various, being involved in many difficulties, as was formerly hinted: in that case, either there must be no separated Church, or diverse separated Churches, according to the latitude of diverse persons charity. This being certain, that one will think a person scandalous, which another doth not esteem so; and one will approve that, which another will condemn.
Again, we ask, What if such persons that withdraw and seek to enter a more holy society, should be refused? Then, how could they evidence their own holinesse, and convince these refusers that they were graciously qualified, and so to be admitted if that were stuck upon, for whatever profession were made, it behoved still to be tried by no other rule, but by folks particular discerning and charity?
Again, suppose this difficulty to be overcome, and such a congregation to be settled, Is it not possible that even some of those members should become scandalous? Then, supposing that by the plurality of that Church, such persons were not accounted scandalous, or not cast out, what were to be done? According to the former grounds, these who suppose themselves only pure, could not continue in communion, but behoved again to separate; and if so, then upon the renuing of the former supposition, there behoved still to be a separation in infinitum. For, there can no Church be expected on earth, in which these cases are not supposable and possible. And so now we may resume the conclusion, Either a private person must acquiesce, as being exonered when he hath followed the action before the Church, or he shall have no ground of peace any where, till he be out of the world, or out of all visible Churches. And so also there can be no other way of keeping publick order and ordinances; and of eviting scandal and confusion.
This truth is fully made out by those three worthy and pious Divines of New England, Cotton, Hooker, and Norton: The last whereof, by many reasons evinceth this in his answer to Appolonious his last question, pag. 162, 163. and doth from the Church of Corint… in particular confirm this: There (saith he) was impurity or corruption in worship, for women taught in the Church; There was corrupt Doctrine, many denied the Resurrection; in manners, she was most corrupt, there being so many fornications, sects, palpable love of the world, &c. Yet (saith he) the Apostle did not command those that were worthily prepared to abstain from the Supper, but, rectifying abuses, he did command every one to try himself, and so to eat, &c. And many other things hath he excellently to this purpose, and laieth this for a ground, that per alios indigne accedentes non polluitur communio, licet minuitur consolatio, that is, the communion in worship is not polluted, though the consolation be diminished by such joynt worshippers.
The second, to wit, Mr. Hooker doth confirm this Maxime fully, part 1. chap. 9. pag. 119, 120. and doth call it irrationall, that the fewer should be judges of the deed of the plurality: and elswhere, that to admit separation in such a case, were to lay a ground for separation in infinitum. Only, we may add these two observations thereon, 1. May not this be allowed to the Presbyteriall Church where the plurality of Churchofficers think fit n…t to cast out? 2. That the Presbyteriall government is upon this consideration, unjustly loaded with an absurdity, as if necessarily upon their grounds, the minor and better party being overswayed (suppose a particular Congregation were wronged by the plurality of a Presbyterie) could have no redresse; for, according to his grounds the same would follow upon the congregationall way; for, suppose the plurality of the Congregation should wrong some officer, contrary to the vote of the minor and better party, there can be no other redresse there, than for men to keep themselves free: For, it still recurreth, if the minor part should claim to have their Sentence weighty, because it is upon the matter right, which the other is not, he hath already determined in the place cited, that that is, contrary to all orderly proceeding and rules of reason and layeth open the gap to endlesse dissention, and the annulling of all publick proceeding; for, men in such cases, being their own judges, are ever ready to think themselves in the right.
By the first, to wit, Mr. Cotton, it is laid down as an unquestionable agreed ground, with this note upon the back of it, By hasty withdrawing, Reformation is not procured but retarded. Thus he, pag. 2. of the bolinesse of Church-members. And hath not experience confirmed this? Might not Discipline have been more vigorous in many Congregations, if this had not been? And what can be expected of Reformation in the body of the Christian world, if to the offence of the rest, those who suppose themselves to be more tender, should instantly withdraw from them.