A Survey of the Sum of Church Discipline, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. Of the Formall cause of a visible Church, the Church Covenant.
WE have done with the Materiall cause of a visible Church: and we have seen that such as be visible Saints make up that.
We are now come to consider of the Formall cause, that which makes the Church to be that which it is and gives the specificall nature (as we use to speak) thereunto.
For take all the faithfull whether they be seemingly or sincerely such, scattered up and down the face of the whole earth, these are but like scattered stones in the street, or timber felled in the woods, as yet there is neither wall made up, nor frame erected.
They who be sincere are truly said to be the mysticall body of Christ, built upon him by a saving faith, and so injoy union to, and communion with the head: But they cannot (to common sense) be thought to make up a visible communion when they are, not only severed one from another, but it may so fall out, as in times of persecution, they may be wholly unknown each to the other.
This Invisible communion by faith makes up the Church militant taken mystically, and it is but one in all the world: But the Church we are to attend, must be visible: so may as may comely meet together in one place, who as they have the right to all ordinances, so they may enjoy the use of them in Christ his order: and so they must be, and accordingly are stiled many. The Churches of Judaea, of Galatia. &c.
That then which gives the formality of these Churches we are now to inquire: and the conclusion we maintain this, Mutuall covenanting and confoederating of the Saints in the fellowship of the faith according to the order of the Gospel, is that which gives constitution and being to a visible Church.
We shall consider
1. What this confoederating is.
2. How it is expressed.
3. The Reasons of the conclusion.
1.
This confoederating and covenanting implies two things.
1. The Act that is performed betwixt some men for the while, and so passeth away in the expression.
2. The State arising from the Act of obligation, which is nothing else but that relation of these persons thus obliged one to another.
The Sum in short is this. By mutuall ingagement each to the other, such persons stand bound in such a state and condition to Answer the terms of it, and to walk in such waies, as may attain the end thereof.
And the right conceiving of the nature of the thing, I mean, the incorporating of men together, will constrain the judgement to yeeld this.
For consider these severals.
Consideration 1.
Its free for any man to offer to joyn with another who is fit for fellowship, or to refuse. Its as feee for another to reject or receive such who offer, and therefore that they do joyn, it is by their own free consent and mutuall ingagement on both sides; which being past, that mutuall relation of ingagement, is as it were the sement, which soders the whole together: or like the mortising or brazing of the building, which gives fashion and firmnesse to the whole.
Whence it is evident, First, that it is not every relation, but such an ingagement, which issues from free consent, that makes the covenant.
Secondly, This ingagement gives each power over another, and maintains and holds up communion each with other, which cannot but be attended, according to the termes of the agreement.
And lastly it being of persons, who were wholly free, each from the other. There can no necessary tye of mutuall accord and fellowship come, but by free ingagement, free (I say) in regard of any humane constraint.
Consideration. 2.
This covenant being taken up in a Church way and for spirituall ends, therefore in reason should be of such, who are fitted thereunto, namely, visible Saints: there is great cause, why such, who thus are to ingage themselves, and enter upon such a society, should be carefull and watchfull to search sedulously, and labour to be acquainted with each others fitnes and sufficiencie in judgement, and spirituall discerning to such a service: and because the work also is of so great a weight; It in reason calls for serious humiliation and seeking unto God, for to goe along with them, and to vouchsa…e his blessing and presence unto them, when they enter upon the same.
And hence it is the manner of our Churches, that there is both more through observation thereof attended by such touching the their estate and condition, and seeking of God by such by solemn fasting and praier, when such a work is first entred upon, then is attended in taking in, or receiving of all the members that desire to joyn themselves to the fellowship of the Church afterwards.
2. How the Covenant may be expressed.
This Covenant is dispensed or acted after a double manner.
Either
Explicitely, or
Implicitely.
An Explicite Covenant is, when there is an open expression and profession of this ingag…ment in the face of the Assembly, which persons by mutuall consent undertake in the waies of Christ.
An Implicite Covenant is, when in their practice they do that, whereby they make themselves ingaged to walk in such a society, according to such …ules of government, which are exercised amongst them, and so submit themselves thereunto: but doe not make any verball profession thereof.
Thus the people in the parishes in England, when there is a Min…ster put upon them by the Patrone or Bishop, they conctantly hold them to the fellowship of the people in such a place, attend all the ordinances there used, and the dispensations of the Minister so imposed upon them, submit thereunto, perform all services that may give countenance or incouragement to the person in this work of his Ministery. By such actions, and a fixed attendance upon all such services and duties, they declare that by their practices, which others do hold forth by publike profession.
This Mr R. cannot be ignorant of, as our opinion and professed apprehension: and I would intreat the Reader to observe once for all: that if he meet with such accusations, that we nullifie all Churches beside our own: that upon our grounds received there must be no Churches in the world, but in N. England, or some few set up lately in old: that we are rigid Separatists, &c. Such bitter clamours, a wise meek spirit passeth by them, as an unworthy and ungrounded aspersion: but the wise-hearted and conscientious Reader, will reserve an ear for the innocent. Audi alteram partem.
Quest. If it be here inquired: How far the covenant is of necessity required?
Ans. According to foregoing expressions, the answer may be cast into these conclusions following.
1. An Implicite Covenant preserves the true nature of the true Church, because it caries the formalis ratio of a confoederation in it, by which a Church is constituted. For Implicite and Explicite are but adjuncts, and these separable from the essence. And therefore the essence and being of the covenant may consist with either.
2. In some cases an Implicite covenant may be fully sufficient. As, suppose a whole congregation should consist of such, who were children to the parents now deceased, who were confoederate: Their children were true members according to the rules of the Gospel, by the profession of their fathers covenant, though they should not make any personall and vocall expression of their ingagement, as the fathers did.
3. Its most according to the compleatnesse of the rule, and for the better being of the Church, that there be an explicite covenant. For
1. Thereby the judgement of the members comes to be informed and convinced of their duty more fully.
2. They are thereby kept from cavilling and starting aside from the tenure and terms of the covenant, which they have professed and acknowledged, before the Lord and so many witnesses.
3. Thereby their hearts stand under a stronger tye, and are more quickned and provoked to doe that, which they have before God and the congregation, ingaged themselves to doe.
Hence also that question receives its explication and answer namely.
Q. How far this covenant requires cohabitation?
Ans. And here severall cases, which carry much variety with them, doe of necessity call for various considerations, discovered by following directions.
1.
Such cohabitation is required, which is necessary for the dispensation of Gods ordinances, the administration of Church-censures, for otherwise, the end of the covenant would be made frustrate, and the benefit of the whole prejudiced. And hence there must needs be such a cohabitation of officers and a convenient company of members, that they comely and conveniently m…et together to the exercise of all Gods Ordinances, Acts. 14.27. 1 Cor. 11.26. & 14.23.
2.
Cohabitation in the same strictnes is not required, nor can be attended by all in the same manner: but if the speciall calling in some, or the publike behalf of the Church in others, doe call for some exceptions, without the prejudice of the exercise of publike ordinances (ut supra) such exceptions may, nay in truth, should be granted. For the policy of the Church and other rules, as they are not in nature, so they should not in their use be in opposition, but in subordination, each to other.
Instance. Merchants whose imploiments are in far countries, and as the 107. Psal. Occupie their busines in the great Ocean: their businesse and imploiments lye there, and their absence usually is for many moneths, sometime for some years: they may be allowed to attend their course. (But others should not, nay others cannot, be so dispensed with) and yet these are said to cohabite; because the place of their abode is there in the issue.
Hence upon the same ground the Church may send out some, either to begin plantations, in case the body require it, or to help on some others who want able guides to succour them in their beginnings, before they can attain a Church-state. And it sufficeth they have such under their care, and in their power, to recall them, or take an account of them, as they see fit.
Solomon sent ships to Ophir, which returned not by the space of some years, All states may be compelled to send some men to Sea for trafick; sometimes by way of just war, and yet no prejudice done to any rule of Christ, or Church-order in that case
3. The reasons of the Covenant.
1.
The first is taken from that resemblance which this policy hath with all other bodies politick.
Every spirituall or Ecclesiasticall corporation receives its being from a spirituall combination.
But the visible Churches of Christ, are Ecclesiasticall or spirituall corporations, Therefore.
The first part of the Argument, hath reason and common sense to put it beyond gainsaying. Each whole or intire body, is made up of his members, as, by mutuall reference and dependence they are ioyned each to the other. Thus Corporations in towns and cities, as they have their charter granted from the King or State, which gives them warrant and allowance to unite themselves to carry on such works, for such ends, with such advantages: so their mutuall ingagements each to other, to attend such terms, to walk in such orders, which shall be sutable to such a condition, gives being to such a body.
Its that sement which soders them all, that soul as it were, that acts all the parts and particular persons so interested in such a way, for there is no man constrained to enter into such a condition, unlesse he will: and he that will enter, must also willingly binde and ingage himself to each member of that society to promote the good of the whole, or else a member actually he is not.
The polished and hewn stones prepared with great comelinesse and conveniency, gives yet no being to a house unlesse they be conioyned and compacted together, and thence the whole frame comes to be constituted and made up.
It is so with every particular Church rightly gathered. It is a City, Heb. 12.22. a house 1 Tim. 3.15. the body of Christ. Eph. 4.13.16. 1 Cor. 12.12.27.28 And all these places are spoken of particular visible Churches. For where Pastors and Teachers are set, and exercise their work; where members are knit and compact, and effectually edifie one another, there must be a particular Church, not the Catholike and to this purpose speaks M. R. l. 2. 302.
A Church in an Iland is a little city, a little kingdome of Iesus Christ, Being then spirituall cities and corporations, the members must contain in them all the essentials which make up the whole. Visible Saints being the matter, this their union and combination must make up the Form.
2.
Those who have mutuall power each over other, both to command and constrain in case; who were of themselves free each from other, in such a way by all rules appointed by God in providence: They must by mutuall agreement and ingagement be made partakers of that power.
But the Church of beleevers have mutuall power each over other to command and constrain in case, who were before free from each other.
Therefore They must by mutuall agroement and ingagement be made partakers of that power.
The second part or Assumption is evident by the course of processe and proceeding which our Saviour prescribes. Mat. 18.15. If thy Brother offend &c. where we have a legall and orderly way laid forth by our Saviour, in which brethren only of the same Church, ought to deal one with another, which they cannot exercise with Infidels, nor yet with other Christian, as our own experience if we will take a tast, will give in undeniable evidence.
I may as a Christian, meeting with an offensive carriage in another, rebuke him for it: But if he will not hear me, shall I call in one or two, he departs the place, refuseth to come. Let me go tell the congregation they send for him, he refuseth to come, because one Congregation hath no power over another, one Classis over another: But each have power over their own, as M. R. grants. Each member hath power over another: Each over Archippus, not only to tell him by intreaty, but in a legall way to convince him, and in case of pertin…cy to bring him to the Church, and there to complain of him. For he is a Brother as well as any of the rest, and therefore the processe of our Saviour lieth as fair against him, as against another.
Beside, all th…se are degrees of binding, each makes way for the other, and the gaining and forgiving is a degree of loosening, Nay in case he shall be detected and brought to the Church for hereticall doctrine, or some hainous villany, take M. R. his principles, in case the Classis will not censure him, he will grant the congregation may reject such a one, and make him no Pastor to them, and I suppose that will prove a power, which can take away the chief power an officer hath from him. This learned Whitaker (vir undequa{que} maximus) hath disputed and concluded, De concil. cont. 3. q. 5. c. 3. p. 600. Si Petrus ipse remittitur ad Ecclesiam, tanquam ad superius quoddam tribunal, & jubetur ad eam aliorum delicta deferre, tunc sequitur, Ecclesiam Petro, vel quoquam alio, authoritate majorem.
Again he affirms Christum generaliter loqui si frater in te peccaverit &c. if therefore the pastour, the teacher, if Peter, if Archippus, be frater, Each brother hath as good law against Archippus, as Archippus hath against him, and the proceeding must be the same. For Archippus must remit him to the Church, if he were the meanest brother.
Obj. But happily it will be replied: Whitaker disputes of a generall councell, what power that hath over the Pope, not of a particular Church.
Ans. True he doth so. but it is as true that he gives a proportionable power to a particular Church: hear his words and let the impartiall reader then weigh them. Ergo fateamur oportet, per Ecclesiam, corpus multorum, non unum episcopum, coetum hominum, non unum aliquem hominem intelligere.
And to remove all doubt, that can be made, he adds. Et si particularis quae{que} Ecclesia maiorem habeat authoritatem in iudicijs, quam Petrus, vel quivis homo particularis, tunc multò magis universalis Ecclesia quae in concilio generali repraesentatur.
I add once more, Take it of a generall councell, and this will yet lend no relief to the answer in the least measure.
Every member of the generall councell hath power in the censuring of a delinquent (In M. R. judgement) that is, in passing a censure or sentence in the councell.
But brethren or lay-men (as they are termed) are members of a generall councell. Therefore,
Each Brother hath power to censure a brother in case of delinquency.
The Assumption then of this second Argument is found and firm.
The Proposition is proved by instance and experience.
If others had no Church-power over this or that party, if he would have refused to come into their fellowship and ioyned with them, then it was his voluntary subiection and ingagement that gave them all the power or interest they have. And let any man use his own experience, it will evince as much. Severall christian men come from far, into places, where Churches are planted. By what right or power can this Church charge or challenge him to sit down in that society? or by what duty is he bound to close with them in that way? As it was in his liberty to come into that place, and amongst that people: so it is in his liberty to change that place, and go to another people, to refuse this, and choose to member with another Congregarion.
In a word, If they have no power over him without this, then if they have any, it is by this.
At primum verum. Ergo,
Thus we read, Act. 5.13. the rest durst not ioyn. Luk. 7.30. when the Publicanes were baptized, the Scribes are said to reiect the counsell of God, being not baptized: and neither John nor any else had power to constrain them to undertake such a service.
3. Argument.
If voluntary combining Churches together, makes them a Classicall or Presbyterian Church, as M. R. confesseth l. 2. p. 320. A covenient number of Churches having ordinary conversing one with another shall voluntarily combine themselves in one society. This last gives in the formality of Classicall membership. So his words are.
When God hath made him a combined member, now by Institution of one Presbyterian Church not of another: though by ordinary converse with other Churches, in case of scandall, his example may prove preiudiciall and infestuous to others, yet this Presbytery must proceed in excommunication against him, because he is only combined with them.
If thus a voluntary combining makes a man a member of a Church classicall, then a voluntary combination will make a member of a Church congregationall. For there is the same reason to the substance of the work: especially upon M. R. his principles, because he would force the institution of a classis and synod from the same place of Scripture. Mat. 18. l. 1. p.
If there be one and the same Institution, then there is one and the same ground and cause of constitution.
4. Argument.
That society of men who may enjoy such priviledges spirituall and Ecclesiastick, unto which none can be admitted without the approbation and allowance of the whole: That society must be in an especiall combination, as members making up the whole. Because such an act argues a combined power, which the whole hath, and not any member alone: and that they cannot have, but by their agreement.
But a particular Congregation is such a society who enjoy such spirituall priviledges, unto which none can be admitted without the approbation of the whole.
They who have power to chuse their ministers and rulers, they have power to admit or reiect such, who offer themselves to be members.
The last Argument is taken from Induction.
If the Inventory of all other respects being brought in, none can constitute a Church visible, then this only must,
Its not Christian affection that can make it. For such are so united that never saw each other, and shall never enjoy the society of each other.
It is not cohabitation. For this falls within that dispute of civill precincts, which we have formerly proved, gives no being to an Ecclesiastick society.
Meeting in one Assembly unites not persons together. For Infidels and Turks (1 Cor. 14.) may come into Church-assemblies to hear the word, as is confessed on all hands, and yet are not made members for that reason.
It is therefore in the house of God, as it is in other houses. We must become covenanting servants, if we have any interest there, or think to chalenge any priviledge there.
To this M.R. answ. lib. 2. p. 125.
The enumeration is sufficient, For the SEALE OF BAPTISME and A PROFESSION OF THE TRƲTH, is that which maketh one a member of the visible Church, 1 Cor. 12.13. we are all baptized by one spirit into one body, and can you deny the covenant that is sealed in baptisme, and by this we are all the citizens and domesticks inchurched and received into the visible Church.
Of this we shall inquire at large.