The Searchers for Schism Searched, Treatise · Answer 5 – Question 11
Anſwer.
1. We do not find that Chriſt before his Aſcenſion doth give the Name or Title of a Church to any, but onelyonly calls his Followers Diſciples, as we might enumerate a multitude of places in the Evangeliſts.
2. We find that our Lord Jeſus, when Peter confeſſed that he was the Chriſt the Son of the Living God, anſwered Peter, and ſaid, Upon this Rock will I build my Church: He doth not ſay, I have built my Church upon this Rock, but, I will, &c. ſpeaking in the future tenſe, Hereafter when I do build it; not that he had then built his Church, but was about the work, making all things ready as materials both for the Foundation and Building.
3. Nor is what we ſay deſtitute of good reaſon; for his Diſciples might then confeſs and believe him to be the Chriſt, but could not believe him dead, riſen, aſcended, and that the Comforter was come, upon which, as upon … Rock or ſure Foundation, Chriſt would build hi… Church, and hath, ſince his laſt Will and Teſtament is in force by his Death, Heb. 9.16, 17 for his Church now is founded upon theſe Baſi… Chriſt is come, and died for our Sins, according to the Scriptures; believing that we in dut… ought to be baptiſed in his Name for the Remiſſion of them, Act. 2.38. & 22.16. and pray, with laying on of hands, for the gift of the Spirit, which now is come ſince Chriſt is aſcended to the Father, according to his promiſe, John 16.7. to guide us into all Truth, and to be with us for ever, John 14.16, 17. as his alone Vicar on Earth, John 16.13, 14, 15. by which Spirit we are baptiſed into one body, 1 Cor. 12.13. believing that as he is riſen from the dead, he will alſo raiſe us up at the laſt day, John 6.40. and will come the ſecond time ſitting upon the Throne of his Glory to Judgement, and to render to every man as his work ſhall be. On all which, as on a Rock or Foundation, the Diſciples could not be built in the time of Chriſts life, not till after his Aſcenſion, becauſe they were not then laid, nor could not till Chriſt was dead, riſen and aſcended to the Father: Yet in the time of his Life, as his Diſciples he was diligent to inſtruct, teach, and inform them of all theſe things, as ſuch which ſhould be done and accompliſhed in their due and appointed time, viz. after he had ſuffered, was riſen and aſcended to the Father.
But it may be objected, That Chriſt ſaith, Mat. 18.17. If he ſhall neglect to hear them, tell it to the Church; there Chriſt calls them a Church.
That doth not follow, thoſe being words of direction and inſtruction which Chriſt gives them, by which they might be guided when they had received power from on high to proceed as a Church, to cenſure unholy and diſorderly Walkers; not that they, before they were endowed with that power from on high, were to act as a Church to cenſure the impenitent, no… did they, as we read.
You may further object, That Chriſt did break Bread with them, and therefore they we… then a Church.
It is true, Chriſt did before his Paſſion inſtitute the Supper, he brake the Bread, and gave it to his Diſciples; but it was onelyonly with the Twelve, the reſt of the Diſciples being abſent then doth it not follow that the Diſciples we… in the capacity of a Church, becauſe the Twelve are ſingled out from the reſt of the Diſciples which ſhews (excepting him that was loſt) tha… they were taken apart from the other Diſciples as thoſe that were appointed by the Lord to b… Witneſſes in a more eminent way and manne… than the reſt, of all thoſe things he ſhould ſuffer▪ And thoſe whom Jeſus had choſen and give… commandment to, not onelyonly by his own mouth but through the Holy Ghoſt alſo, Act. 1.2. wha… they ſhould teach others to believe and obſerve Mat. 28.20. Breaking Bread then at this tim… might not be ſolemnized as Church-communion which ought to be when the whole Body comet… together, to commemorate the Body and Blood of Chriſt, the one as broken, the other ſhed, and to ſhew the Lords death till he come; but rather was inſtituted then by Chriſt at the feaſt of the Paſſover, to ſhew them what they ſhould after he was aſcended do, & alſo to teach others what they ſhould do and obſerve, when they were endowed with power from on high, and thereby were en…ighted to all things relating to Church-Power, and the adminiſtration of all Church-Ordinances; which until they were ſo impowered, they were onelyonly to wait at Jeruſalem, Luk. 24.49. Act. 1.4. If otherwiſe, why ſhould the reſt of the Diſciples be excluded, and not called to this laſt Supper of the Lord? If they broke Bread as a Church, the reſt of the Diſciples had as much right to that Communion as the Twelve, or elſe the Twelve onelyonly were the Church, and the other Diſciples no part of it: And if a Church, why muſt they wait for power at Jeruſalem? This we humbly and modeſtly offer to conſideration. And as for the reſt of your Queries and Demands which you multiply in this Queſtion, they are either removed and anſwered, or require none further.
But (ſay you further) if you ſhall ſay they wanted ſomething while Chriſt was among them, eſſential to Communion; then we demand whether this doth not reflect a want of care in Chriſt, who left them ſo, and indeed want of underſtanding in thoſe that ſay ſo? For if Chriſt had a Church before his aſcenſion that wanted any thing eſſential to its being, then it was a Church, and no Church, at the ſame time, which is abſurd to imagine.
Let what is aboveſaid be duly and conſiderately weighed, and there will be no reflection upon Chriſt, nor ignorance in thoſe that ſay they were onelyonly Diſcipl…, and not impowered as a Church before Chriſts Aſcenſion. It can reflect no want of care in Chriſt, becauſe they could not be in any other capacity than his Scholars, before the Spirit was given them; no… were they capable to receive more than what Chriſt did communicate to them, and leave with them, until the Spirit was manifeſted; I have many things to ſay, but ye cannot bear them now, John 16.12. Then its no reflection upon Chriſt for want of care, conſidering the time, and the Diſciples incapacity to bear them then.
Nor do we ſay Chriſt had a Church before his Aſcenſion (if they were a Church) that wanted any thing eſſential to its being in that diſpenſation; therefore you may keep your abſurdity till you have more occaſion.
Queſt. 6.
We demand whether thoſe qualifications that give us a Right to Baptiſm, do not give us a Right to the Lords Table?
Anſwer.
1. Thoſe qualifications that give you a right to Baptiſm, do not give you a right to the Lords Table.
2. For confeſſion of ſins, and profeſſion of Faith in Chriſt for the pardon of them, are qualifications that gives …ht to Baptiſm; but they do not give the perſon ſo confeſſing and profeſſing, a right to the Lords Table, except he be firſt baptiſed, by your Principles and Practice, if we be not deceived by you.
Queſt. 7.
We demand whether it be not ſinful to make more conditions of Communion, than ever God made? And whether the impoſing of any thing (though true) as the conditions of Church-memberſhip and Communion, which God hath not made a Condition, be not to keep thoſe out of the Church, that Chriſt would have in?
Anſwer.
1. We grant it is ſinful to make more Conditions of Communion than ever God made.
2. And to impoſe any thing, though true, as …he Condition of Church-Memberſhip and Communion, which God hath not made a Con…ition, is to keep thoſe out of the Church that Chriſt would have in.
Queſt. 8.
If Chriſt hath required no other conditions of Church-Communion, than Confeſſion of Sin, Faith, Baptiſm, and a holy Life, whether you can by an Rule deny Communion to any that are ſo qualified. If ſo, ſhew that Rule.
Anſwer.
1. Though it be true, that Confeſſion of ſin, Faith, Baptiſm, and an holy Life, be condition… of Communion, yet are there more condition… required by Chriſt, of Church-Communion▪ that thoſe: for the twelve Diſciples Paul foun… at Epheſus, had confeſſed their ſin, profeſſed their faith, and were baptiſed, yea, and wer… men of holy Lives, and yet they wanted ſom… conditions of Church-Communion.
2. For theſe Diſciples were ignorant of the Doctrine of Baptiſms, Heb. 6.2. knew no more than the Baptiſm of John; for they had not heard whether there were a holy Ghoſt, or no… Act. 19.
3. They were not under laying on of hand… which God had appointed as the means h… which the holy Ghoſt was given and received both which, viz. the Doctrine of Baptiſms an… laying on of hands, are Principles of the Doctrine of Chriſt, Heb. 6.2. And therefore … truly conditions of Church-Communion, … Water-Baptiſm, for it is by one Spirit we a… all baptiſed into one Body, 1 Cor. 12.13.
4. Then not to hear whether there were holy Ghoſt or no, as theſe Diſciples did not, …leſs defect in them, than for you to hear and read there is a holy Ghoſt promiſed to as many as obey Chriſt, and you not believe the Baptiſm thereof, but oppoſe and reject the means by which the Baptiſm of the Spirit is obtained, and by which we all are baptiſed into one Body, is a far greater defect, and want of the conditions Chriſt requires of Church-Communion in you, than was in them.
5. Then can we deny Communion with you, becauſe Chriſt requires more conditions of Church-Communion than you yet have; for which we have theſe Rules, 2 Theſſ. 3.6. 1 Tim. 3.4, 5. Cum multis aliis.
Queſt. 9.
Whether the Baptiſed Congregations that are not under laying on of hands, do not make thoſe qualifications above mentioned, abſolutely neceſſary to Church-communion and Church-memberſhip? And if ſo, why ſhould you refuſe Communion with them?
Anſwer.
1. You may well make a queſtion of it, whether you do make thoſe qualifications you mention before, abſolutely neceſſary to Church-communion and Church-memberſhip, when in your ſixth Queſtion you demand, Whether thoſe qualifications that give you a Right to Baptiſm, do not give you a Right to the Lords Table? Which …mporteth, That thoſe which have a Right to Baptiſm, by virtue of ſome qualifications, have a right to the Lords Table by virtue of the ſame qualifications at the ſame time; and if they that have a right to Baptiſm, have at the ſame time a right to the Lords Table, they may by right have Church-communion though they be not baptized.
2. Therefore we muſt Anſwer you, That we cannot tell, or we do not know, whether you do make thoſe qualifications you mention, abſolutely neceſſary to Church-communion, and Church-memberſhip, becauſe in your ſixth Queſtion, you more than ſeem to leave out Baptiſm as a qualification, which you put in elſewhere as one.
3. But if you do make all thoſe qualifications you mention, abſolute neceſſary to Church-communion and Church-memberſhip, you have been already told why we refuſed Communion with you; it will be too much in this place to ſay it again.
Queſt. 10.
Whether you have not at ſome turns, both by practice and profeſſed agreements, owned thoſe for Churches and Church Members, that are baptized Believers as aforeſaid? and if ſo, by what rule can you refuſe to have Communion with them?
Anſwer.
1. It is not without cauſe to believe, that is too true, that ſome have been daubing with untempered morter, Ezek. 13.10, 11, 12, 13, 14. to heal the hurt ſlightly, ſaying, Peace peace, when there was no peace, Jer. 6.14, having both by practice and profeſſed agreements, owned you for Churches rightly conſtituted.
2. It were well if thoſe that have ſo practiſed and agreed, would remember from whence they are fallen, and repent, and do their firſt works before it be too late, and their Candleſtick be removed out of its place, Rev. 2.5.
3. And they their giving ſo much advantage to you, who oppoſe ſome part of the mind of Chriſt which they believe and practiſe, which is now taken up by you, and uſed as weapons againſt the truth they practiſe, doth cry aloud upon them to repent, and ſmite upon the thigh, ſaying, What have we done?
4. For if ſuch practice and profeſſed agreement be according to the will of God, wherein they have owned you Churches, and Church Members rightly conſtituted, Communion by no rule can be refuſed, but ought to be maintained and held with you.
5. But we ſay, whatever ſome have practiſed and profeſſedly agreed, that you are not Churches, nor Church Members rightly conſtituted, becauſe you have not yet laid all the principles of the foundation, but are wanting in ſome one, if not more, of the firſt rudiments of Chriſtianity, as you have confeſſed laying on of Hands to be; We therefore refuſe Communion with you by the above-mentioned rules in our Anſwer to your 8th Queſtion.
Queſt. 11.
But if you ſhall deny you have ſo owned them, then we demand whether you that are under laying on of Hands, do not daily receive ſuch into your Communion that have been converted and baptized by thoſe not under laying on of Hands, without taking an account of their Faith, or baptizing them again? If it ſhall be anſwered, you do ſo receive them; becauſe they had confeſſed their Faith, and were baptized before: then we demand whether ſuch as you ſo receive were converted by, or made their confeſſion to, and received their baptiſm from, the Church or the World? If you ſay they were the Church; how dare you ſeparate from them you own to be Gods Church, though leſs perfect? If you ſay they were the World, they made their confeſſion to, and did receive their baptiſm from, then ſhew us whenever God intruſted the world with, or otherwiſe how the world came by a power to take a Confeſſion of Faith, and to adminiſter a lawful Baptiſm? If you ſhall ſay they that Baptized them you ſo receive, were neither the Church nor the World; then ſhew us a middle ſtate of men, that are intruſted with the lawful and due Adminiſtration of Gods Ordinances, that are neither the Church nor the World; if not, doth not this practice of yours declare you own thoſe for a Church of Chriſt, that are not under laying on of Hands? &c.