A Trial of the New Church Way in New England, Position 3 & 4 · Part 9 – Part 10
Reply.
FIrſt, men are capable of Church cenſures in two reſpects, either in having the power of the keyes, and authoritie to diſpenſe them according to God, or as ſubject to the cenſures of the Church. In the firſt ſenſe, many are capable of Church priviledges that are not capable of Church cenſures, as the ſeed of Chriſtian parents, children and women. You ſay you admit to the ſeales the knowne and approved, and orderly recommended members of any true Church: but to fellowſhip in 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. In the ſecond ſenſe alſo many are capable of Church priviledges who are not ſubject to Church cenſures: as the children of Chriſtian parents are capable of baptiſme, the known and approved members of any true Church are capable of the Seales in other Congregations among you who are not ſubject to the cenſures of that other Society. Spirituall communion in publick prayer is a Church priviledge, which is not denied to viſible beleevers and godly perſons, though not in Church order, and ſo not in ſubjection in your ſenſe to Church cenſures.
Secondly, a perſon baptiſed is not baptiſed in that particular congregation onelyonly, but into all Churches, and every particular Church where he cometh he hath all the priviledges of a baptiſed perſon in reſpect of his baptiſme, and is ſo to be eſteemed by them. Now the priviledge of a baptiſed perſon who is able to examine himſelf, and walketh in the truth, is to be admitted to the Lords Supper. All circumciſed perſons had right thereby to eat the Paſſeover in any ſocietie, in the place which God ſhould chuſe to put his Name there. Exod. 12. 4. 47. Deut. 16. 1, 2. So all baptiſed perſons have true and intire right to the Lords Supper in everie true Church where God hath ſet his Name.
Thirdly, there is not the ſame reaſon of every Church priviledge, for one may have right to ſome, who is not to meddle with others. The members of one ſociety may hear the Word, joyne in Prayer, and receive the Sacraments in another, when they are not to meddle in the election and ordination of their teachers. The Miniſters of the Goſpel may preach the Word, and adminiſter the Sacraments in another congregation, and hereto he needs no other calling but that God offers an opportunitie; there is much need of his help, and he is intreated, or hath leave from them in place or office; but he is not to admit members into the ſocietie, or caſt them out that be admitted. And if the Paſtor of one Church ſhall preach or adminiſter the Sacraments in another, contrary to the liking and approbation of the Society and Governours, though the act be irregular, it was never eſteemed a nullitie; but if he ſhall preſume to excommunicate the members of another ſocietie, without the conſent or the Church, and approbation of Paſtors and Teachers, under whoſe charge and juriſdiction they live, it hath been judged a meer nullity. Therefore the propoſition is not ſo evident as to be taken without proofe, that they have no power to admit a beleever into communion in any Church priviledge who have no power to excommunicate.
Fourthly, that viſible beleevers baptiſed into a true Church profeſſing the true faith, and walking in holy obedience, and godly converſation, that they and their ſeed ſhould be judged ſuch as are without in the Apoſles ſenſe,1. Cor. 5. 12. becauſe they be not externally joyned as ſet members to ſome particular congregation in Church-Covenant is affirmed, not proved.
1. It hath, and may fall out many times through the ignorance, raſhneſſe, or pride of a prevailing faction in the Church, that the true members of the Catholique Church, and the beſt members of the orthodox viſible flock, or congregation of Chriſt may be no members of any diſtinct viſible ſocietie. And ſhall their poſteritie be eſteemed Aliens and Strangers from the Covenant, and debarred from the Sacraments, becauſe their parents are unjuſtly ſeperated from the inheritance of the Lord? Surely as parents unjuſtly excommunicated do continue ſtill not onelyonly true members of the inviſible body, but viſible members of the flock of Chriſt: ſo the right of Baptiſme doth belong to the Infants of ſuch parents, though not actuall and conſtant members of this or that preſent aſſembly in Church order.
2. If they be without, becauſe no members of a politike bodie or ſpirituall fellowſhip: then all members which are of one ſocietie are without to another: For they that be not of the bodie are not capable of Church cenſures, or ſubject to the authoritie one of another. And ſo not being under the judgement of that particular Church to it they are without; whereas in ancient and moderne times diſtinct Societies did communicate together, admit and receive each other as brethren, to teſtifie their fellowſhip in the faith. If the reaſon whereupon the Apoſtle ſaith the Church of Corinth was not to judge them that were without, was becauſe they were not within the Church of Corinth, and ſo not under their cenſure or judgement: this holds true of them that be of another ſociety admitted to the Sacrament, as well as of ſuch as be no ſet members deſiring to be received to the Lords Supper.
3. (The fornicators of this world) do they not explaine whom the Apoſtle pointeth unto by the title of being without, ver. 10. 11. ſuch as had not received the covenant of grace.
4. Church order is neceſſarie we denie not; but this order that a man ſhould be a conſtant and ſet member of a particular ſocietie by covenant, to make him a true member of the viſible Church, or to give him title or intereſt to the publick order, this is not taught of God.
5. Paul divides all men into two ranks, the firſt and greater without; the laſt and leſſer within: but that beleevers who have received the holy Ghoſt, and have been baptiſed into Jeſus Chriſt, that they and their children ſhould be reckoned among them that are without, that we read not in this nor any other Scripture,1. Joh. 2. 19. but in phraſe of Scripture hereticks themſelves are within the Church.1. Cor. 11. 19.
6. The beleevers not yet gathered (as the godly learned think) into a certain diſtinct body are called beleevers, brethren, diſciples; but that they ſhould be comprehended under them that are without, it hath not been beleeved in the Church.
7. Without (faith the Apoſtle whether alluding to this place or not, let others judge) are dogs,Rev. 22. 15. foreign. 1. Tim. 3. 7. foreign, & Script. ethnici apud patres audiunt. foreign. Matth. 8. 1…. Epheſ. 2. 12. Rob. againſt Ber. p. 101. inchanters, whoremongers, not ſuch as are called faithfull and holy, walking in integritie, beleeving in and profeſſing Jeſus Chriſt to be their Saviour.
8. They that are without in the Apoſtles ſenſe are Aliens from the Commonwealth of Iſrael, ſtrangers from the covenant of promiſe, having no hope, and without God in the world: but we hope you will not paſſe ſuch raſh and unadviſed cenſure upon your brethren, who be not gathered into your ſocietie as ſet members.
9. Let the interpretation ſtand, and he is without, not onelyonly who is no ſet member of ſome congregationall Aſſembly, but he that is not ſubject to the cenſure of the community of that particular combination few or many, with, or without Officers. And ſo all the reformed Churches in the world who aſcribe the power of the keyes to the Presbitry or Claſſes, and not to the community, and ſome amongſt your ſelves (if not the moſt) ſhall be without alſo.
And therefore we cannot think approved Chriſtians deſiring to be received unto the Sacrament, either to be without, or uncapable of Church cenſures for the time being if they ſhould offend, though not ſet members of any particular congregation: for deſiring baptiſme for their children or themſelves to be admitted to the Lords Supper for the time they put themſelves under the ordinance of Jeſus Chriſt there. And as they are members for the time, ſo they might be proceeded againſt according to the rule preſcribed by our Saviour, as they would proceed with an offending member.
10. If upon juſt and good reaſon a paſſage of Scripture can be cleared to prove that for which it was never alledged by any writer, we are not to except againſt any truth of God, becauſe it wanteth mans teſtimonie. OnelyOnly if we deſire credit in ſuch caſes, our reaſons muſt be weightie and convincing. But for your expoſition of this text of Scripture, as yet we have not obſerved one ſubſtantiall ground, or approved author to be alledged. Doctor Ames ſhewing the neceſſitie of Chriſtians joyning themſelves to ſome particular Church, giveth this reaſon, Quoniam alias fieri non poteſt quum conturbentur ſigna illa quibus fideles ab infidelibus diſcerni poſſunt. 1. Cor. 5. 12. But herein Dr. Ames manifeſtly ſheweth that by them that are [without] heathens, and unbeleevers muſt be underſtood, and not beleevers and godly men though of no particular ſetled ſocietie for the time, for thus we conceive he argueth. The ſignes and evidences whereby the faithfull are to be diſcerned from unbeleevers, muſt not be confounded: but unleſſe Chriſtians make themſelves actuall members of a Societie or Church, the ſignes whereby the faithfull are diſcerned from unbeleevers, will be obſcured and darkned. And if this be his reaſon how can that text of Scripture be alledged for confirmation, unleſſe by [men without] Infidels be underſtood. Again Doctor Ames in the ſame book, lib. 4. ca. 27. ſpeaking of Infants to be received, it is required (he ſaith) that they be in the covenant of grace in reſpect of outward profeſſion, and eſtimation in reſpect of their parents, and that there is hope they ſhall be inſtructed and brought up in the ſame covenant. 2. That Baptiſme doth moſt properly belong to thoſe infants whoſe parents, at leaſt one of them is in the Church, and not without, becauſe baptiſme is a ſigne and ſeale of the covenant of grace. 3. That children that are caſt forth are in charitie to be eſteemed the children of Chriſtian parents, when there is no juſt cauſe of preſuming the contrary, that in admitting unto baptiſme a difference muſt be put betweene the Infants of thoſe who in ſome ſort belong to the Church, but openly break the covenant of God, and the children of others.
1. Becauſe a diſtinction muſt be obſerved in holy things betweene the cleane and uncleane; ſeeing elſe the ordinance of God cannot be preſerved from all pollution. To ſay nothing of that which he addeth touching the baptiſme of Infants borne in fornication, excommunication, and Papiſts, which is more then ſufficient to cleare his meaning in the former paſſage. To this may be added that he holdeth it not neceſſarie that Chriſtians ſhould gather themſelves into a particular ſociety, but as opportunitie and occaſion ſhould offer it ſelf. So that it was never his mind to cenſure them who be not gathered into Church-Covenant, becauſe they want means or opportunitie as men without in the Apoſtles ſenſe.
His judgement is further manifeſted in his ſecond Manuduction, pa. 33. So many pariſh Aſſemblies of England (ſaith he) as have any competent number of good Chriſtians in them, united to worſhip God ordinarily in one Societie, ſo many have the eſſence and integrall forme of a viſible Church, and all they have intire right to Chriſt, and to all the meanes of injoying him, how ever they are defective in the puritie of their combination, and in the compleat free exerciſing of their power, whereupon a reverend*Mr. Io. D. Apol. Sect. 40. exam. p. 182. Elder now among you draws this concluſion, Ergo to diſchurch them wholly, and to ſeparate from them as no Churches of Chriſt, or to denie baptiſme to the Infants of their known members is not warrantable by any rule of Scripture that I know, nor juſtified by any aſſertion or practiſe.
Anſw. 5. Conſideration.
VVE may adde hereunto for a fifth Conſideration, the evill and pernicious conſequences of extending communion in Church priviledges beyond the bounds of Church fellowſhip: for thus, 1. The extraordinarie office of the Apoſtles, and the ordinarie office of Paſtors and Teachers will be much confounded, if the latter be as illimited as the former in the execution of their office beyond the bounds of their own particular Churches. 2. The diſtinction of Church aſſemblies from the confuſed multitude is abroagated, if without memberſhip in a particular Church the parents may communicate with the Churches in the Lords Supper, and their ſeed in baptiſme. 3. The Church ſhall indanger the profaning of the ſeals, and want one ſpeciall meanes whereby the grace and pietie of men may be diſcerned and made known; for if without reſpect to their Church eſtate men of approved pietie (as you ſay) are to be admitted to fellowſhip in the ſeales, how ſhall their pietie be approved to the Church not by their own report of themſelves alone without atteſtation of ſuch as are approved by the Church; and how can ſuch beare witneſſe to their approved pietie, who againſt light refuſe to profeſſe ſubjection to the Goſpel of Chriſt by orderly joyning themſelves in fellowſhip with ſome approved Church of Chriſt as members thereof when they have opportunitie thereunto, ſeeing ſuch fellowſhip is an action of pietie required of all beleevers in the ſecond Commandment; and true pietie frameth mens ſpirits to have reſpect to all Gods Commandments. And we have had much experience of it, that men of approved pietie in the judgement of ſome have been found too light, not onelyonly in the judgement of others, but even of their own conſciences, when they have come to triall in offering themſelves to be members of Churches, with ſuch a bleſſing hath God followed this order of taking hold of Church-Covenant by publick profeſſion of faith and repentance before men be admitted to the ſeales; but this meanes of diſcoverie of mens pietie and ſinceritie would be utterly loſt, if men ſhould be admitted unto the Lords table without entring in Church-fellowſhip.