Survey of the Survey of that Sum of Church Discipline by Hooker, Book 1 · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX.
Mr. H. his formal cause of a Church visible, or Church confederating, is considered.
Mr. H. We have done with the material cause: Now we Survey, par. 1. c. 4. p 45, 46.come to the formal cause of the visible Church. The faithful, whether they be seemingly or sincerely such, scattered up and down the earth, are like stones in the streets, or timber in the field, they may have a communion by faith, by which they are an invisible Body Mystical, but until they meet together in one place, and have See Mr. Robinson his error in this. Justific. of Separat. pa. 297.right to all the Ordinances there, and be confederate by a Church-Covenant, which gives the formality to these Churches, they are not visible Church members.
Ans. If the faithful scattered in sundry Congregations have an invisible communion onelyonly by faith, and so make up an invisible communion, and an invisible Mystical Body; then two These of sundry Congregations have as visible a communion, and so make up as visible a body as th…se of the same Congregation that meet within the same wals.Sister-Churches that cannot meet in one place, though they may do all the duties of Church-gaining one another, as Mat. 18. yet are not a visible body, no… their acts, acts of Churchprofession, not are they visible members of the same Body of Christ, because they partake no… of the Ordinances within the same walls, as do members of the same single Congregation: so there is no visible communion, but within the walls of one Church; which is absurd, and repugnant to common sense.
2. It is uncharitable, and against the Word, to teach, That when a Church is dissolved, by no sin and scandal visible, but by persecution or pestilence, that the dissolved members, though both real and visible converts, have no right to the Ordinances: for if the formal cause, to wit, their confederacy into one visible body, as Mr. H. saith, be removed, their visible and external right is removed. The like is to be said of visible professors, and of members of another Congregation, and known godly sojourners; these Mr. H. excommunicates for no scandal visible and invisible: for impossible it is that they can meet together in one place with their own Church, with which onelyonly they are incorporate by this confederacy.
Mr. H. This confederating implieth two.
1. The act of mutual engaging, which passeth away, arising from the act of obligation, the state of membership. The nature of incorporating members to mutual duties will constrain to yield to this.
Ans. 1. An Oath or Covenant is no passing away thing, as Mr. H. saith, but leaveth the person under the tie.
2. The state of trying these persons and their seed to be baptized onelyonly into the single Body, is a dream, even to Mr. Robinson, Marrying of Members to one Congregation onelyonly, is a Scriptureless conceit. Mr. Robinson, Justificat. of Separ. p. 317.and the engagement that gives them right to Ordinances onelyonly with that single Congregation, and in one place, and with no society else to partake of one Bread, and of one Christ, 1 Cor. 10. 16 17. is a Scriptureless imagination: for 1 Cor. 12. 12, 13. We are baptized all, Iews and Gentiles, by one Spirit into one Body, (Catholick, not a single Congregation onelyonly) and are all made to drink into one Spirit, in the Lords Supper, even all; not of one single Congregation onelyonly, but of several Congregations, whether they be engaged Mr. H…. way or not.
Mr. H. The judgement must be of persons free (in regard of humane constraint) for they may joyn, or not joyn to this Congregation, to receive them or not receive them. 2. It gives power to each over another, to watch over one another.
Answ. Mr. H. makes three properties of this engagement; but he is sharp-sighted, who can difference the third from the first.
2. Freedom from humane constraint i… dubious: If from the It is not free to professors to refuse to be membersof the Congregation in which they were borne of believing Parents, & baptized, and must reside in a convenient nearness to the Assembly of Saints.Christian Magistrate compelling to Elicite acts of the will; Never man, I think, dreamed of such constraint, as may be laid upon men to believing, loving, fearing. If it be freedom from compelling the external man to Imperate acts; our Divines say, The Magistrate may civilly in his way compel to the means of Salvation, the baptized ones especially, both to hear, and to eat and drink at the Lords Table in some true Church. If it be freedom from a Law of God, or the Church constraint, as this it must be, or then nothing is said.
1. God hath commanded all to come to the house, Pro. 1. …0. Prov. 9. 1, 2, 3. Matth. 22. 3, 4, 5, 6. Luk. 14. 16. And that is a Prophesie to be fulfilled under the New Testament, Zach. 14. 17. And it shall be that who so will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem, to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them there shall be no rain. The English notes say, it figures the Elects gathering together into a particular Church, to which every one must reduce himself to partake of the communion of Saints. And they are also the words of Diodati, and Calvin, Iunius, Piscator, Danaeus, say the same in sense. It is true, preaching to a particular Church should be voluntary, but not by such a Covenant, and so all worship should be; and it were not enough to say, Lord, thou commandest us to get us to the shepherds tents, Cant. 1. 7. And to come into Wisdoms house; but we have freedom to enter Members to this or this, or all the Churches on earth.
2. And it is in all the Churches on earths power to receive us, or not; which is also false. One is born, baptized, comes to be a visible professor in the Church of Boston; is not that providential necessity a ground to the Magistrate to command him to do his duty, and for the Church to constrain him by Ob…estations, Censures, being born a member, to partake of the Ordinances, as his duty is. O but he is not satisfied with the Ministery of Boston, but he hath freedom to enter a Member of a Church a hundred miles distant by a new Church-oath: shew a warrant why he ought not to worship the Lord there where his Calling and Trade is; he must confess Christ before men in all places, it is not arbitrary then.
3. Not one word of God is alledged, that this engagement Church-duties of warning, teaching, comforting, rebuking, are by no word of Christ restricted to one single congregation.gives power to watch over one another in this Congregation onelyonly, and not in all Congregations where Providence shall dispose he shall be; as if all these Church-duties to Members of Christ, of warning one another, comforting, watching over one another, taking care for one another, mourning with those that mourn, Col. 3. 16. 1 Thess. 5. 5, 11, 14. 1 Cor. 12. 26, 27. Heb. 10. 24, 25. & 3. 13. Rom. 12. 15. were forbidden as contrary to the Rule of the Gospel, in order to all precious Churchmembes of other Congregations of which we are not Members.
Mr. H. There is good cause why visible Saints (u… supra) who are thus to engage to watch over one another, should be acquainted Pag. 47.with each others fitness, &c. and because the work is weighty, it would be done with fasting and praying, which is not requisite, when one single Member is admitted.
Ans. That the thousands baptized of Iohn Baptist, and the three thousand, Acts 2. who were to engage themselves, that is, before they were admitted, could have acquaintance and Experimental knowledge of the spirituall fitness one of another before the erecting of a Congregation is warranted by no word of God, whatever Mr. H. say on the contrary. Pag 47, 48.knowledge of the spiritual fitness one of another, is impossible; and not onelyonly wants the authority of the Word, but is expresly against it; for it was impossible in some few hours to be done.
2. Ten neighbouring sister Churches lying together are obliged to watch over one another, then they ought, by the Rule of the Gospel, to come under the same engagement.
Mr. H. An implicite covenanting may be sufficient: as suppose a Congregation consist of the children of Parents expresly confederate, but vocal and express confederation comes nearest to the Rule. Mr. R. his bitter clamours, that we make all other Churches save our own, no Church, will be past.
Ans. The Popish and Lutheran Churches in which there is valid Baptism, in which a Vow is made to walk in Church-wayes, as observing one another, shall have the formal cause of true visible Churches, and so must be true visible Churches; for they have this Covenant implicitely and virtually.
2. How shall we be made from the Scriptures to see that the Baptist, Mar. 1. 5. the Disciples of Christ, who baptized moe disciple than Iohn, Jo… 5. 4. did tye by Oath one way or another, (and the Covenant being their complete Rule must be vocal and express) are they so inchurched to engage to these Church-duties within their own Congregations? the word hints at no such thing.
3. There is a necessity of vocal Covenant always, if it come nerest to the rule; but where is the rule?
4. What making of matter and form as so described, and what reciding from the Rule of these Churches in the essentials, is so well known to all, as they must be most false Churches that are not made of visible converts, which is the constitution of the Anabaptist Churches: for bitter clamours and unworthy aspersions, I wish Mr. H. had expressed them, that the Reader might judge. I judge that the Church of Christ in N. E. makes true the prophecy, That the wilderness and the desert do there rejoyce and blossom as a Rose, Isa. 35.
5. Judicious Mr. Cawdrey citeth Dr. Holmes making an explicite Mr. Cawdreys Review, c. 3. p. 104. Pag 48, 49, 50Covenant necessary.
Mr. H. Cohabitation, which is necessary for our Churches, is such as is fit for the end, for the dispensing of Ordinances and C…nsures where they may conveniently meet, Acts 14 27. 1 Cor. 11. 26. & 14. 23. it suffers some exceptions. The Church may send No Covenant in the N. Testament ties any to Christian duties in one onelyonly Cō gregation, otherwise than as providential cōversing with them affords, which is in sister-Churches also.out some to begi… …antations where they want able guides, until they attain to a Church-state. States may be compelled to send men to Sea for traffique and for war, and yet no prejudice is done to the Rule of Christ, they are said to cohabit where the place of their abode is in the issue.
Ans. If cohabitation be necessary for the attaining the end; then, as the Pastor cannot be a non-resident, by necessity of a calling in Trading, neither can ten godly Merchants be three years absent, as Mr. H. sayes Solomons Merchants were, but they must be non-residents, and neglect Church watching, …nd break Covenant, if it be said (as it must be) it should be the Ministers onelyonly calling to reside and watch, but the Merchant hath an extraordinary calling to trade beside.
Ans. This confirms us not a little; no godly visible professors can tye themselves by Covenant or Oath to exercise the common Christian acts of a Church member onelyonly to such a society, but in an occasional and providential way: for it is as unlawful to tye Church-worship to one society or place under How D. Bilson abuseth the place. Mat. 18. See Bilson the perfect government of Christs Church, c. 4 p. 18, 19, &c. he mistaketh both our conclusion, & our arguments.the New Testament, as it was to tie it of old to Bethel & Gilgal, Hos. 4. 15. & 9. 14. & 12. 11. Amos 44. which is a demonstration that a godly professor carrieth about a Soul with him stands in need of Church-feeding by the Lords Supper, and other Church Ordinances in all the Christian world, and that he is to warn, admonish, comfort all Church members, and to labour to gain a trespassing brother, not of the single Congregation only whereof he is a Member, Matth. 18. and neither Scriptures, nor sound Divinity, nor the Law of Nature (which is not destroyed by the Gospel) will warrant to limit the word, Brother, as Mr. H. doth, and his Brethren, Matth. 18. 15 If It is against our Saviours purpose to limi… the gaining of a trespassing brother, Mat. 28. to the onelyonly one Congregation of which the offended brother is a member fixedly.thy brother trespass, if he hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother; to a brother only of the Congregation of which the offended brother is a member; as if Christ had not set down a rule, Mat. 18. of gaining all brethren within the single Congregation, or about it; for the word, Brother, is of this latitude, that it comprehendeth
1. All that may offend a Brother, that is, one not only within a single Congregation only, of which the brother offended is a member, but also one of another Congregation. Now Mr. H. saith, ye have no Church power over one of a…ther Congregation.
2. He is a Brother whom ye are obliged to admonish, Go tell him.
3. He is a Brother whom thou must labour to gain; Thou hast gained thy brother.
4. He is a Brother who is obliged to hear the Church: He will not hear the Church.
5. He is a Brother who may be cast out, Let him be to thee as a heathen.
6. He is one whose sinnes …ay be bound in Heaven, Verse 16, 17.
7. He is a Brother, who if gained, may pray and meet with others in a Church-way in the name of Christ.
8. He is a Brother, who if he be gained, Christ grants his desire and prayer, Verse 19, 20.
9. He is a Brother, who is to be pardoned, If he sin against Peter seventy times seven times, Verse 21, 22.
10. He is a Brother, who ought to forgive his fellow-Brother, as he would have God to forgive him, Verse 14, 25, 35.
Now it were a foul straitning of the word of Christ, to say these ten agree only to a Brother in order to another Brother of the same single Congregation, as if we did owe by Christs Doctrine in that notable Sermon, Compassion, Forgiveness, Teaching, Gaining &c. to no Brethren, but to those of the same Congregation, where of we our selves are members.
2. This Doctrine deprives godly travellers, so journers, savoury The un…di…ying and cruel inconvenience that come to the soules of beleeving merchants, sojourners who are visible Saints, by the Church engagement to one onelyonly single Congregation.professors, of the Lords Supper, for three, for six years, of the Ordinance of the Lords Supper, of Church-teaching, Rebuking, Prayer, Church comforts, of all Church-manifestations, and of all Church communion with Christ, the Head of the visible Church, of all Church-presence of him that walks in the midst of the golden Candlesticks, of all Church-influences, of all Sanctuary-beauty, for no scandal or sin, but onelyonly for going about a lawful duty in all the visible Churches on earth, as is clear Cant. 1. 7. & 2. 1, 2, 3 4. Psal. 27. 4. & 73. 16, 17. & 84. 4, & 42. 1, 2, 3, 4. Hib. 2. 12. Psal. 22. 22. & 40, 9, 10. for it cannot take off the Argument to say, The godly professor may have the same comforts, but in an invisible way, which he hath in his own Church, in his native abode in a visible and Church-way: for, 1. This is to beg the question, for h…s professed hearing, praying with a forreign Church is as visible as at home. 2. If Christ no where have deprived a man of the comfort of the Lords Supper, whithersoever he come and profess himself a visible Saint, no men on earth can deprive him; but there is no more warrant why a visible Saint should not every where remember the Lords day by eating, as he may pray every where in faith holding up pure hands: for as he takes Gods Name in vain, if he hate to be reformed; so also to banquet with Christ, not discerning the Lords body.
3. If these forreign Churches, of which he is no member (as Mr. H. saith) may and do as well discern Mr. H. his Marks of a visible Saint, as his own Church, to wit, after trading among them divers years, to them he savours as if he had been with Iesus, p. 14, 15. he abstains from all known sins, p 24. then have they as good right to tender the Lords Supper to him as his own Church, and he may have a desire, and the same right both real and visible, that he hath to the Ordinances in his own Congregation; then, as the Eunuch said, Here is water, so, here is a …able, and Christ in eating, what should hinder him to eat? Is not Christ walking beside the golden Candlesticks here as at home?
4. If Providence necessitate him, as he is chased by persecution to one City, and is banished out of that, that he must fly to another, and from that to another, and from that to a third, and is providentially necessitated to have no certain dwelling, as was Abraham, and the Saints case, Heb. 11. 37, 38. 1 Cor. 4. 11. so was Christs case, Matth. 8. 20. he must either live by the Rule of the Gospel, all his life, without Church-Ordinances, or as he cometh to ten sundry Churches visible, he must be ten times, twenty times married unto, and divorced from the Church, have and lose Church-right to a communion with Christ in his body and blood, and to the Head Christ, and to all the edifying comforts of Church-Ordinances.