A Trial of the New Church Way in New England, Position 3 & 4 · Part 1 – Part 3
Anſw.
THeſe two Poſitions may be maintained with one and the ſame defence, being ſomewhat coincident, and therfore we joyn them as if they were but one. Therefore to prevent all miſtakes, it may pleaſe you to take notice that we are not of their judgement who refuſe all religious communion with ſuch as are not Church Members, nor doe wee appropriate communion in this priviledge of the ſeals only to the Members of our own Churches, excluding all other Churches of Chriſt from the ſame, though they may be through errour or humane frailty defective in ſome matters of order, provided that the liberty of our Churches be preſerved, of receiving ſuch ſatisfaction as is meet (as well by Letters of recommendation, or otherwiſe if it be requiſite) concerning thoſe whom wee admit unto fellowſhip in the ſeals. For as we account it our duty to keepe the unity of ſpirit inviolate with any, in whom we diſcerne any fruits of the ſpirit, ſo we hold our ſelves bound to diſcharge this duty, according to order. Spirituall cōmunion in prayers, holy conferences & other religious actions of like nature we maintain with al godly perſons, though they be not in Church order: But Church communion we hold onelyonly with Church members admitting to fellowſhip of the ſeals the known and approved, & orderly recommended members of any true Church. But into fellowſhip of the cenſures, admittance of members and choice of Officers, onelyonly the members of that particular Church whereof they and we (any of us) ſtand members. Theſe things being premiſed, the conſiderations whereupon our judgement and practice is ſwayed for adminiſtration of the Seals onelyonly to ſuch as are in order of a true viſible Church are theſe that follow.
Reply.
VVHat is here premiſed to prevent all miſtakes, doth ſeem more to raiſe then to abate ſcruples if we miſtake not your meaning. You refuſe not all religious communion with all that are not Church members, and ſo much they profeſſe, who formerly have gone for, and profeſſed themſelves Separatiſts from our Aſſemblies. You do not appropriate this priviledge of the Seals onelyonly to the members of your own Churches, excluding all other Churches of Chriſt from the ſame; If your meaning be onelyonly this, that you deny not the Sacraments adminiſtred in other Churches to be the true Sacraments of Chriſt for ſubſtance, then you aſcribe little more to the Churches of Chriſt in this, then to the Synagogue of Satan, the Church of Rome. For you will not deny Baptiſme adminiſtred among them to be true for ſubſtance: If you deny not to have fellowſhip with them in the Seals, and to admit them to the Sacrament, and to communicate with them: then either your judgment is contrary to your practice, or you exclude the Churches of England from the number of true viſible Churches of Chriſt, which is to deſtroy what you formerly builded, and here profeſſe. All poſſible care to keep the Ordinances of God from contempt, we allow and commend, provided you go not beyond the Lords warrant, and deny not the priviledges of the Church to them, to whom they are due by divine appointment, nor the name and title of Church to thoſe ſocieties, which God hath plentifully bleſſed with means of grace, have received the Tables and Seals, and have entred into Covenant with his Highneſſe. Your liberty to receive ſuch ſatisfaction as is meet, is not called into queſtion, nor whether you are to keep the bond of the Spirit inviolate according to order. But whether this be to keep the bond of the Spirit inviolate (viz) to exclude from the Sacrament true viſible believers, or knowne recommended Chriſtians, formerly members of viſible Churches among us; and their children; becauſe they are not members (as you ſpeak) in Church Order. And whether God alloweth to put this difference between Church mēbers of your ſocieties & other viſible believers walking in holines, though not admitted members of any ſociety according to your Church order, as to receive the one, though members of another ſociety, unto the Seals, and to debar the other and their children. Theſe are the things to be conſidered in theſe preſent poſitions. And firſt we will examine your Reaſons for your judgment and practice by themſelves, and then ſo far as we judge meet, try your anſwers to the objections you make againſt it.
1 Conſideration.
THe Seals Baptiſm & the Lords Supper are given to the Church, as a priviledge peculiar therto in ordinary diſpenſation. Indeed the preaching of the word is not ſo, being an ordinance given not onelyonly for the edifying of the Church already gathered, but alſo for the gathering of men to the Churches that yet are without: wheras the diſpenſing of the Seals is Gods Ordinance, given onelyonly for the edifying of the Church being gathered, and not for the gathering of it: And becauſe there is now, no univerſall viſible Church on earth wherein the Seals are diſpenced, there being no place, nor time, nor Officers, nor Ordinances appointed in the New Teſtament by Chriſt our Lord, for any ſuch Aſſemblies as the Iewes had under Moſes.
It remains that the Chriſtian Churches, whereunto theſe priviledges were given, are congregationall, conſiſting onelyonly of ſo many as may and do meet together ordinarily in one place for the publike worſhipping of God, and their own edifying.
Hence it is that we read ſo much in the New Teſtament of the Churches in the plurall number, the Churches of Chriſt, the Churches of God, the Churches of the Saints:Rom. 16 16. and not onelyonly when they were of divers Nations,1 Cor. 11 16. & 14. 33. the Churches of the Gentiles, but alſo of the ſame Nation, The Churches of Iudea, Rom 16. 4.and not onelyonly when that Country was of large extent and circuit,Gal …. 22. the Churches of Aſia, but alſo of a ſmall part of the Country.1 Theſſ. 2. 14. The Churches of Galatia: yea, when congregations in ſeverall Cities are ſpoken of.1 Cor 16▪ 19. They are called Churches as the Churches of Ieruſalem, Gal. 5. 2.the Churches at Antioch. To wind up all, ſeeing the Churches in the Goſpell are congregationall,Act 15▪ 2. & 19 37 & 15. 25. 38. and that Baptiſme and the Lords Supper (being Church priviledges) belong onelyonly to the Churches, it will follow, that as City priviledges belong onelyonly to Citizens and their children: ſo baptiſme and the Lords Supper being Church priviledges, belong onelyonly to the members of particular Churches, and their ſeed. And that ſeeing ſigillum ſequitur donum, to apply them to others what is it but to abuſe them? As a ſeal of a corporation is abuſed if added to confirme the grant of priviledges which are peculiar to any Towne corporate to one that being no free-man of that corporation is uncapable thereof.