Essay Towards Brotherly Peace and Union, Essay · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Of Communion with, and Separation from the true Church.
Queſtion 1.
WHether there is an univerſal viſible Church?
Platform of Diſcipline.Anſw. There may be acknowledged an univerſal viſiſible Church. Platform of diſcipline, chap. 2. ſect. 3.
Queſt. 2. What relation or reſpect do particular viſible Churches bear to the univerſal viſible Church?
Anſw. A Congregational Church by the inſtitution of Chriſt, is a part of the militant viſible Church. Platform of Diſcipline, Platform of Diſcipline.ſect. 6. This Catholick Myſtical Church is the Materia prima, out of which Political Churches by their combination are formed. Defence of the 9. poſitions, pag. 104. The Catholick Church is in ſome reſpects the firſt Church, and particular Churches ortae. Ibid. pag. 78.
Queſt. 3. Is every particular perſon bound to be of ſome particular congregation?
Anſw. Every faithful perſon is bound by vertue of poſitive precept to joyn himſelf to ſome ſuch ſingle congregation,Mr. Owen. having the markes and notes by which a true Church may be known and diſcerned. Dr. Owen in his Eſhcol, Preface A 3. It is the part of all Chriſtians who look for ſalvation by Chriſt Jeſus, to joyn themſelves to one or other particular Church of Chriſt. Mr. Cotton of the way, &c. pag. 2. line 10.
Queſt. 4. But is a man bound to joyn himſelf to the Church of that place where his dwelling is?
Anſw. Members ought to joyn themſelves to the Church where they do inhabit, if it may be;Platform of Diſcipline. otherwiſe they can neither perform the duties nor receive the priviledges of members; ſuch an example tolerated in ſome, is apt to corrupt others, which if they ſhould follow, would threaten the confuſion and diſſolution of Churches, contrary to Scripture. Platform of diſcipline, chap. 13. ſect. 6.
2. All believers of one place are bound to joyn together in one congregation, unleſs through their being too numerous they are by common conſent diſtinguiſhed into more, which order cannot be diſturbed without the guilt of ſchiſme. Dr. Owens Eſhcol Prefao? A. 3.
Queſt. 5. But is a man bound after he hath once joyned himſelf to a Church, to continue a member of this Church all his dayes?
Anſw. 1. Church-members may not remove and depart from the Church,Platform Diſcipline. and ſo one from another as they pleaſe, but ought to dwell together. Platform of diſcipline, chap. 13. ſect. 1.
2. Peoples joyning with a Pariſh at the calling and electing of a Miniſter at his firſt coming, hath ſuch juſt weight in it, and is ſuch an engagement, as we do not judge it ſafe for ſuch to remove from ſuch a Miniſter, unleſs it be upon ſuch grounds as may give him due ſatisfaction. Platform of diſcipline, Preface pag. 7.
3. To ſeparate from a Church, either out of contempt of their holy fellowſhip, or out of covetuouſneſs, or for greater enlargements, with juſt grief to the Church, or out of Schiſme, or want of love, or out of a ſpirit of contention in reſpect of ſome unkindneſs, or ſome evil onelyonly conceived, or indeed in the Church which might and ſhould be tolerated and healed with a ſpirit of meekneſs, and of which the Church is not yet convinced, though perhaps himſelf be, nor admoniſhed from theſe or like reaſons to withdraw from publike communion in word or ſeals, or cenſures, is unlawful and ſinful. Platform of diſcipline, cap. 13. ſect. 5.
Queſt. 6. But what if there be many wicked and ſcandalous perſons, and the Church tolerate them in it, ought not the godly to withdraw and depart from ſuch a Church?
Anſw. 1. To ſeparate from a Church for want of ſome Ordinances, or to ſeparate from the true worſhip of God,Platforme of Diſcipline. becauſe of the ſin of ſome worſhippers, is unlawful, Mr. Hookers Survey of diſcipline, Preface A. 3.
2. The ſuffering of profane and ſcandalous livers to continue in the Church, and partake in the Sacrament, is doubtleſs a great ſin; yet the godly are not preſently to ſeparate from it, nor to …bſtain from communion with ſuch a Church in the participation of the Sacrament. Platforme of diſcipline, chap. 14. ſect. 8, 9.
3. The hypocriſie of ſundry members of the Church, and toleration of ſome open ſcandal doth not preſently take away the nature of the Church, nor is ſeparation preſently to be made from it. Mr. Cotton of holineſs of Church members, pag. 2. line 8.
4. Chriſt and his Apoſtles in their times, and the Prophets and other godly in theirs did lawfully partake of the Lords commanded Ordinances in the Jewiſh Church, and never taught nor practiſed ſeparation from the ſame, though unworthy ones were permitted to be therein. Platform of diſcipline, chap. 14. ſect. 8. And the Apoſtles kept communion with the Jews as a Church, notwithſtanding their want of faith in Chriſt. Mr. Cotton of Infant Bapt. pag. 56. line 28. And the faithful in the Church of Corinth, wherein were many unworthy perſons and practiſes, are never commanded to abſent themſelves from the Sacrament becauſe of the ſame; therefore the godly in like cauſes are not preſently to ſeparate. Platform of diſcipline, chap. 14. ſect. 8.
Queſt. 7. But if I can go to a Church that is more pure, and where things are better ordered, and more according to the minde of Chriſt, why may I not leave communion with one Church and go to another? As ſuppoſe I think the Congregational Churches purer then the Presbyterian, may I not leave the Presbyterian and joyn to the Congregational?
Anſw. We do not judge it ſafe or meet for any member of a Presbyterian Church,Platforme of Diſcipline. forthwith to deſert his relation to his Church, and betake himſelf to the fellowſhip of a congregational Church, though he may diſcern ſome defect in the eſtate and government of his own.
1. For firſt, Faithfulneſs of brotherly love in Church relation requires that the members of the Church ſhould firſt convince their brethren of their ſinful defects, and duely wait for their reformation before they depart from them; for if we muſt take ſuch a courſe for the healing of a private brother, by way of brotherly love, with much meekneſs and patience; how much more ought we to walk with like tenderneſs towards the whole Church?
2. Secondly, By the haſty departure of ſound members from a defective Church; reformation is not promoted, but many times retarded and corruption increaſed: whereas on the contrary when ſincere members breathing after purity of reformation abide together, they may by the bleſſing of God upon their faithful endeavors prevail much with their elders and neighbors towards a reformation; it may be ſo much that their Elders in their own Church ſhall receive none to the ſeals but viſible Saints; and in the Claſſes ſhall put forth no authoritative act touching the members of other Churches, but conſultative onelyonly, nor touching their own, but with the conſent (ſilent conſent at leaſt) of their own Church; which two things if they can obtain with any holy, humble, meek, faithful endeavors, we conceive they might by the grace of Chriſt find liberty of conſcience to continue their relation to their own Presbyterian Churches without ſcruple. Platform of diſcipline, preface pag. 5. line I.
Object. But we ſcruple not onelyonly theſe but many other things: As firſt, Your Miniſters many of them had their Ordination from the Biſhops, and they theirs from Rome, and ſo your Miniſtery is Antichriſtian; and thoſe that are not ordained by Biſhops are Ordained by a Claſſis or Presbytery, which is a power forreign and extrinſecal to the Church whoſe Miniſters they are?
Anſw. Firſt, For the Miniſters that were ordained by Biſhops, take it thus.Mr. Cotton. The power whereby the Miniſters in England do adminiſter the Word and Sacraments, is either ſpiritual and proper, eſſential to their calling, or adventitious or accidental. The former they have received from Chriſt by a twofold act of his. Firſt, He hath furniſhed many of them with miniſterial gifts. Secondly, He hath enclined the hearts of his people to chooſe them, and call them as in many Pariſhes in the City, and in ſundry Market-Towns and elſewhere, or at leaſt to accept them, and ſubmit to them, being commended to them by the Patron.
The latter power which is adventitious and accidental, that which they receive from the Patron who preſents them to the Biſhop, and from the Biſhop who ordains and licenſeth them to Miniſter to Chriſt, and to his people; This power though it hath been eſtabliſhed by the Law of the Land, yet it is both adventitious and accidental; for the Miniſters power is compleat without it, and it is alſo uſurped; For neither had the law lawful power from Chriſt to give ſuch power to the Patron and Biſhop neither had the Biſhop or Patron lawful power to receive it, neither could the people then chooſe their Miniſter without the leave of their Patron, nor induct him into the Church without the ordination or leave of the Biſhop. Thus when Pyrates have invaded a ſhip, no man in it, neither Officer nor Paſſenger can come by his own goods, but by leave of the Pyrate, who upon their ſubmiſſion will give them their keyes of their own veſſels and cheſts; this power to come to their own goods received from the Pyrate, it is not that which gives them true and proper right to enter upon the poſſeſſion and uſe of their own goods; for that right they had by a former juſt title which Pyrates cannot diſannull,Mr. Cotton. but it is onelyonly adventitious and accidenttal. I need not apply it to the caſe in hand; the application is obvious. Mr. Cotton of Infant Bapt. pag. 181. line 25. And as for thoſe Miniſters that are ordained by Claſſes or Presbyteries, as you call them; I anſwer, firſt, Ordination is a work of rule and pertains to Presbyters. Mr. Cotton way of the Churches, pag. 49. line 4. And ſecondly, In ſuch Churches where there are no Elders, and the Church ſo deſires, we ſee not why impoſition of hands may not be performed by the Elders of other Churches. Platform of Diſcipline from N.E. chap. 9. ſect. 5.
Queſt. 8. May then we who are members of gathered or conſtituted Churches, hear their Miniſters as Miniſters of the Goſpel, and hold communion with them in their Churches?
Anſw. We may hold and retain communion with them in baptizing our children (as occaſion may fall out by abſence of our Miniſters) in their Churches,Apologetical Narration. They ſay but do not, Mat. 23. and by occaſional receiving the Supper of the Lord in their Churches, and receiving ſuch member of theirs as are duly qualified unto communion with us occaſionally; alſo our Miniſters to preach in their Congregations, and receive theirs alſo to preach in ours as Miniſters of the Goſpel. Papers given to the Committee of accommodation, by Thomas Goodwin, Philip Nye, William Bridge, Sydrach Simſon, Ierom. Burroughs, pag. 29. line 17.
Queſt. 9. What ſhall we judge then of the Separatiſts or Browniſts? are they of Antichriſt?
Anſw. Sure their practice is blame worthy:
1. Becauſe they ſeparate where Chriſt keeps fellowſhip, Rev. 1.18. and that he walks with us we argue,Mr. Cotton. becauſe he is ſtill pleaſed to diſpenſe to us the word of life, and edifies many ſouls thereby; and therefore ſurely Chriſt hath fellowſhip with us; and ſhall man be more pure then his Maker? where Chriſt vouchſafes fellowſhip, ſhall man renounce it? if they be converted, where had they their converſion?
2. Have not many of Gods ſervants heretofore kept company with Churches as corrupt as ours are? did not Peter and John keep company with their perſons, and ſhall they be more pure and curious?
3. Chriſt commands, if thy brother offend thee, admoniſh him, Mat. 18.17, &c. then tell it to the Church; and if he hear not the Church, let him be unto thee as a heathen or a publican, he doth not ſay let the Church be unto the as a heathen or a publican if the Church hear not thy complaint. Now there are many of our Separatiſts never admoniſh their brethren, nor made their complaint to the Church; and if they did, and the Church heard them not, muſt they therefore excommunicate the Church and renounce it? Therefore unleſs you finde in it blaſphemy, or idolatry, or perſecution, there is no juſt ground of ſeparation. Mr. Cottons expoſition of the firſt epiſtle of John, fol. 156. l. 38.
Object. I. They ſay our worſhip is corrupt.
Anſw. Suppoſe there were and are ſundry abuſes in the Church,Mr. Cotton. yet that is no ſafe ground of ſeparation, Ezek. 5.11. Ezek. 9.4. So when the ſons of Eli corrupted the ſacrifices of God, their ſin was great; yet it was the ſin of the people to ſeparate and abhor, 1 Sam. 2.17. Mr. Cottons Expoſition of the firſt epiſtle of John, fol. 157. line 10.
Object. 2 They ſay our government is Antichriſtian?
Anſw. We ſay it is that Government that expelled Antichriſt, and ſundry have witneſſed it with their blood; and I ſay further, That there is no ſuch corruption in our ſtate as was in Jeruſalem, when Chriſt and his Apoſtles kept fellowſhip with them, as two high Prieſts, &c. Ibid. line 13.
Obj. 3. They ſay our Miniſtry and Calling is Antichriſtian?
Anſw. We ſay we do not profeſs our ſelves enemies to Chriſt;Mr. Cotton. and for our Calling, many of us are elected by the peoples approbation, or by ſuch as are ſet up by the King or State, and if God bleſs our Miniſtry to convert thouſands to God, it is an evident ſign God approves our Calling; for if it were Antichriſtian, they would not convert ſouls unto God. Ibid. line 18.
Object. 4. They ſay our people are corrupt, and ſome ſuch as Paul bids not to have communion with, 1 Cor. 5.11. as drunkards whoremongers and the like.
Anſw. We cannot deny but that there are very many corrupt and ſcandalous perſons in our Church: But,Mr. Cotton.
1. Private Chriſtians have no authority to put them out.
2. For Miniſters, if they ſee it would turn to the diſſipation and deſtruction of the flock, it were better to forbear, 1 Cor. 5. Mat. 13.29, 30. Ezra. 4.20. they ceaſed from building the Temple, when there came a command againſt it;O that you were wiſe to conſider theſe things! therefore they had better forbear when it cannot be redreſſed without greater prejudice to the Church.
3. The corruption of ſome doth not corrupt the Church nor the ordinances of God; he that eates and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himſelf, not to the whole Congregation; and you ſhall finde many Churches as corrupt, as the Church of Corinth; yet the Apoſtle would not have them renounce it. Mr. Cottons expoſition of the firſt epistle of John, fol. 157. line 28.
Hitherto of communion with and ſeparation from the Church, now to draw ſome poſitions from theſe particulars, with ſome inferences upon them.
1. There may be acknowledged an univerſal viſible Church, which is the materia prima of particular Political Churches, and may in ſome reſpects be called the firſt Church, and particular Churches ortae. Chap. 4. anſw. to firſt and ſecond queſtion. Therefore the Catholike viſile Church is not a Chimaera, nor a chief pillar of Popery, as ſome pleaſe to ſpeak.
2. Every faithful perſon, yea every one that looketh for ſalvation by Chriſt, is bound to joyn himſelf to ſome or other particular Church of Chriſt. See anſw. to queſt. 3. chap. 4. Therefore ſome or other particular Church is bound to receive every one that looks for ſalvation by Chriſt, and deſires to joyn himſelf unto them; for to ſay that every Chriſtian is bound to joyn himſelf to ſome particular Church, and yet no Church bound to receive him, is to lay an impoſſible obligation upon a Chriſtian.
3. All the believers of one place (be it Town, Village, or Pariſh) are bound to joyn together in one Church, and this order cannot be diſturbed without guilt of Schiſme; and it is moſt for edification for men to be of the Church that is in the place where they dwell. See chap. 4. anſw. to queſt. 4. Therefore the practice of thoſe who gather into one Church members dwelling in three, four or ſix ſeveral places diſtant many miles each from other, tends not to edification, nor cannot be excuſed from guilt of Schiſm.
4. Peoples joyning with a Pariſh in chooſing and calling a Miniſter, is ſuch an engagement as it is not ſafe for ſuch to remove from ſuch a Miniſter, but upon ſuch grounds as may give him due ſatisfaction. See chap. 4. anſw. to queſt. 5. Therefore they have provided but an uneaſie pillow for themſelves to lay their heads on another day, who have caſt off thoſe Miniſters with contempt and ſcorn (to the breaking and ſadding of their hearts) whom themſelves choſe and called, as moſt of the members of the gathered Churches (ſo called) throughout England have done.
5. To ſeparate from a Church, either out of contempt of their holy fellowſhip, or out of covetouſneſs, or for greater enlargements with juſt grief to the Church, or out of Schiſme, or for want of love, or out of a ſpirit of contention in reſpect of ſome unkindneſs or ſome evil onelyonly conceived, or which might be tolerated and healed, &c. is ſinful and unlawful. See chap. 4. queſt. 5. anſw. 2. Therefore, O that thoſe who have rent themſelves from us, to gather themſelves into diſtinct Churches, would be wi…ling to behold the face of what they have done, in, and judge it by this friendly glaſs, and repent of what they have done unlawfully and ſinfully!
6. Neither the hypocriſie of ſome members, nor the toleration of open ſcandals, nor want of ſome Ordinances is a ſufficient ground for men to ſeparate from the Church. Therefore our brethren can alledge no ſufficient ground for their ſeparation on from the Churches, whereof they were ſometimes members.
7. Faithfulneſs of brotherly love in Church relation, requires that the members of the Church ſhould, firſt convince their brethren of their ſinful defects, and duely wait for their reformation before they depart from them. For ſecondly, By the haſty departure of ſound members from a defective Church, reformation is not promoted, but many times retarded. Chap. 4. anſw. to queſt. 7. Therefore let thoſe who have ſeparated themſelves the Miniſtery and aſſemblies they did ſometimes attend upon, lay their hands upon their hearts, and ſeriouſly as before the Lord, conſider whether they have thus endevored and waited for a reformation in the Congregation where their fixed abode is, or whether they have not by their haſty departure (or by other indirect means) hindred the work of reformation as much as in them lies; the Lord lay it not to their charge. If for this they be not condemned by their own conſciences, I am ſure they are by their friends and brethren.
8. The Ordination of Miniſters in England by the Biſhops, is adventitious and accidental to their calling. See chap. 4. queſt. 7. anſwer to Object. 4. Therefore their ordination by the Biſhops doth not make their calling null and void; nor is it neceſſary that they ſhould renounce that call, and put themſelves upon a new call, unleſs withall they change their ſtation.
9. The difference between Independents and Presbyterians, is not ſo great, but that it might be healed, and there might a be an union, if ſome diſtempers and carnal corrupt reſpects did not prevail above principles of judgement and love to peace and truth. See chap. 4. anſw. to queſt. 8.
10 No juſt ground of ſeparation from a Church, unleſs you find in it blaſphemy, idolatry, or perſecution. See chap. 4. queſt. 9. anſw. 3. Therefore none of theſe crimes being proved againſt the Churches of England, they have done unjuſtly who have ſeparated from them.