The Searchers for Schism Searched, Treatise · Answer 20 – Answer 21
Anſwer.
1. Who did you ever know infer from … Joh. 9. That there can be no Churches, nor Church-members, where every thing Chriſt …ught is not obſerved and continued in. 'Tis …rue, we ſay that every Principle of the Do…trine of Chriſt which he taught as the firſt Ru…iments of Chriſtianity, muſt be obſerved and …ontinued in, or elſe there can be no Church …or Church-Members rightly conſtituted. And … obſerved, believed, and practiſed, and not …ontinued in, they that now are a Church right …n conſtitution, may (as afore is ſaid) ceaſe to …e a Church for their tranſgreſſing, and not a…iding in the Doctrine of Chriſt, 2 John 9.
2. But you ſay, By Doctrine in that place, is …eant (as a man of a ſhort ſight may perceive) the confeſſing that Jeſus Chriſt is come in the fleſh, … appears, verſ. 7. Suppoſe this ſhould be t… meaning, we demand whether every one th… verbally ſo confeſſeth, and doth not verbally d… ny Chriſt to be come in the Fleſh, doth anſw… the mind of the Spirit in that Text, and ha… both the Father and the Son, ſo long as he ab… deth by ſuch a Confeſſion, we think you wi… not ſo ſay; for if you ſhould, then muſt yo… own Rome to be a Church of Chriſt: Becauſ… they ſtoutly confeſs with their mouths, and … bide by it that Chriſt is come in the fleſh, ye… and will burn them that ſhall deny it; now … this be the meaning of the Text, then hath Rom… both the Father and the Son, and doth not tranſgreſs, but continue in the Doctrine of Chriſ… and thouſands more beſides, who will thus confeſs Chriſt to be come in the fleſh, but know yo… not that in works they deny him? If then … man ſhort-ſighted may ſee that by Doctrine, … meant a confeſſing of Chriſt to be come in th… fleſh, that confeſſion muſt be more than verb… as a man very ſhort-ſighted may perceive; an… that by confeſſing Chriſt, is to own him to be … Prince and a Saviour, to believe, obey, and t… do what he hath taught, and to continue in hi… Doctrine. So then, though it may be as yo… ſay, yet is it not to be thought, that onelyonly th… ſingle and alone confeſſing of Chriſt to be com… in the fleſh, is there meant by Doctrine: … being ſo comprehenſive a word, that it contains in it no leſs (if not more) than the foundation-…rt, mentioned Heb. 6. And therefore they that tranſgreſs, and abide not in that fundamental part, viz. Repentance, Faith, the Doctrine of Baptiſms, Laying on of Hands, the Reſurrection from the Dead, and eternal Judgment, have not God as his Church; but he that continues in the Doctrine of Chriſt, hath both the Father and the Son.
Then is it no abuſe of the Text, to ſay as the Text ſaith: But you rather abuſe us, to ſay that we infer that there can be no Churches nor Church-Members, that continue not in every thing that Chriſt taught; and that they have not God, nor are no Members of Chriſt. But we ſay, They cannot be Churches rightly conſtituted, that abide not in Chriſts Doctrine, for they have not God, and ſo ſaith the Text. And yet there may be Churches truly ſtated, that are not perfect, and that will not ſay, they have no ſin: For in many things we offend all, James 3.2.
Queſt. 21.
If you ſhall ſay, That by denying Communion to thoſe that abide not in the Doctrine of Christ, you mean ſuch as abide not in Fundamentals; not but that you could have Communion with thoſe that err and differ from you in the Circumſtantials of Religion, as ſome of you have ſaid, and others have printed: Then we demand, what thoſe Circumſtantial Errors are? And whether they are not tran… greſſions of the Word, Doctrine, Sayings, Co… mands, or Oracles of Chriſt? If they be tranſgreſſions of the Sayings and Oracles of Chriſt, &c. th… we demand whether that argument is not ridiculou… that ſaith, They have no communion with God, th… abide not in all the Sayings and Doctrines of Chriſ… &c? And then what becomes of your great cry y… make against us, for not continuing in all the D… ctrines and Sayings of Chriſt; and that whoev… doth not continue in all, hath no communion wit… God? when your ſelves allow there may be communion where Errors are circumſtantial, and there… tacitly acknowledge what other whiles you oppoſ… (viz.) That they that abide in all Chriſts Doctrin… may notwithſtanding have communion with God.
Anſwer.
1. We have already told you, That no know… Error ought to be ſuffered in the Church; no… do we ſay we can have communion with thoſ… that maintain any thing contrary, or in oppoſition to the Doctrine of Chriſt: Yet as you ſay … we can have communion with thoſe that diffe… from us in Circumſtantials; but to give ou… ſelves or others an allowance to err in Fundamentals, would be a crime as bad, as an allowance in any fleſhly and actual ſin.
2. You then demand what thoſe Circumſtantials are, and whether they be not tranſgreſſions of the Word, Sayings, Doctrine, Commands, or Oracles of Chriſt; we ſay no, they …re not tranſgreſſions againſt Chriſts Doctrine, &c. but ſuch things as may be done, or left …ndone, and no ſin committed againſt God. But ſay you, what are thoſe Errors? It is an …rror to refuſe and deny the eating of meats, …ecauſe every creature of God is good, and nothing …o be refuſed, if it be received with thanksgiving: Yet if my Brother be weak, and will eat herbs, …nd will be offended if I eat fleſh, we will not …reak communion with him becauſe he will eat …o fleſh, nor eat fleſh our ſelves, leſt we cauſe …r weak Brother to ſtumble and be offended; this is to err in circumſtantials, and all other …hings of the like kind, that may, or may not be done, and no Law of Chriſt broken; for tranſgreſſions of the Word and Doctrine of Chriſt, muſt not be tollerated in the Church of Chriſt, he muſt be heard in all things; and if …o, that Argument is not ridiculous, but re…ains firm and untouched, that ſaith, They …ve not God as his Church, who tranſgreſs …nd abide not in the Doſtrine of Chriſt.
3. And then that great cry (as you call it) …e make againſt you, for your diſobedience to Chriſt, is ſtill remaining where it was; our …oices will be lifted up as high as ever, until …ou do from the heart obey that form of Doctrine which was delivered to the Primitive Saints, Rom. 6.17. nor do we allow Communion where Errors are (except you mean ſuch … is above expreſſed) longer than the erronio… can be orderly dealt with; therefore we do no… tacitly acknowledge (as you imagine) wh… other-while we oppoſe.