The Way of the Churches of Christ in New England, Tract · Chapter 6
CHAPTER VI.
SECT. I.
WEE come now to that laſt part of our order, which ſtandeth in our communion with other Churches amongſt our ſelves; though one Church claim no power, either of Ordination or Juriſdiction, over another, (for we know of none ſuch given us by Chriſt) yet wee maintain Brotherly communion one with another, ſo far as wee may alſo help forward our mutuall communion with the Lord Jeſus. The communion of Saints is accounted an Article of the Creed; and communion of Churches is but a branch thereof. Seven wayes there be, wherein wee exerciſe holy communion one with another; which for diſtinction and memories ſake, we may ſumme up in ſo many ſhort names: Firſt, by way of Participation: ſecondly, of Recommendation: thirdly, of Conſultation: fourthly, of Congregation: fifthly, of Contribution: ſixthly, of Admonition: ſeventhly, of Propagation, or multiplication of Churches.
1. For Participation, wee have occaſionally ſpoken of it before; it is allowed by the conſent of our Churches; that when the members of any other Church are occaſioned to reſt with us on the Lords day, when the Supper cometh to be adminiſtred, (and neither the perſons themſelves, nor the Churches they come from, lie under any publike offence) wee do admit them to the participation of the Lords Table with us: For wee look at the Lords Supper, not only as a ſeal of our communion with the Lord Jeſus, but alſo of our communion with his members; and that not only with the members of our own Church, but of all the Churches of the Saints.
SECT. II.
BY way of Recommendation, wee communicate one with another in this wiſe; When any of our members by occaſion of buſineſſe is called to reſide and continue for any time in another Towne, wee give him Letters of recommendation unto the Church in that place, giving teſtimony of him as of a Brother approved, and intreating them to receive him in the Lord, (as becometh Saints) unto holy Communion with them, and to watch over him in Brotherly love, to his building up in fellowſhip with the Lord Jeſus: The patterne whereof wee take from Pauls recommendation of Phebe (a Deaconeſſe of the Church of Cenchrea) unto the Church of Rome, Rom. 16.1, 2. Of which Letters he maketh mention alſo to the Church of Corinth, though not as needfull for himſelfe, but for others, 2 Cor. 3.1. But if a Brother have neceſſary occaſion to remove himſelfe and his family for all together unto another Church, and there to take up his ſetled habitation, for the neceſſary imployment of his calling, or for other juſt ends, he acquainteth the Elders of the Church, and ſome of his intimate friends and brethren, and it may be (if conveniency permit) the whole Church with the grounds of his removall; which if they doe appeare to them to be juſt and weightie, they then write more ample Letters of recommendation unto that Church in his behalfe; wherein they doe recommend him wholly to their charge; now not as one of themſelves, but as one of theirs, to whom they doe reſigne him, and intreat them to receive him as a Brother, beloved in the Lord, unto all thoſe Chriſtian liberties, and holy duties, wherein they are wont to Communicate with their owne members, unto all ſpirituall growth in Chriſt Jeſus. Which Letters, becauſe they doe ſo fully recommend a Brother unto another Church, are to diſmiſſe him from his owne; wee therefore for diſtinction ſake, call them Letters of diſmiſſion; which indeed doe not differ from the other, but that the former recommendeth him to another Church for a time, theſe for ever.
The Brother thus diſmiſſed to another Church, bringeth his Letters to the Elder of that Church, who reading them before the Church, demandeth the Churches conſent for his acceptance. If he be well knowne and approved of them, they expreſſe their conſent, either by lifting up of hands, or by ſilence: but if the man be wholly unknowne, and doubted of by them, though they reſerve due honour to the teſtimony of the Church which ſent them, yet for as much as Churches may erre ſometimes, as well in judgement of perſons, as of doctrines; (Hanc veniam perimuſ que damuſ que viciſſim) wee take libertie to take ſome tryall of his ſpirit and gifts, and then either upon his juſt approbation of him, wee receive him, or if wee ſee juſt occaſion of offence in him, wee returne him with the cauſe back againe to his owne Church, who receiveth him againe into her own fellowſhip, and takes care for his healing; for wee look at our Church-Covenant, as an everlaſting Covenant, Jer. 50.51. And therefore though it may be tranſlated or reſigned from one Church to another, as Gods hand ſhall direct, yet it is not to be rejected or violated by us, but onelyonly by the members cutting off himſelfe from the fellowſhip of the Church by ſuch demerit, as expoſeth him to the juſt cenſure of Excommunication. But if a member be importunately deſirous to remove wholly from the Church where he is unto another, and yet the grounds of his removall favour of nothing, but levitie, or covetouſneſſe, or ſchiſme, or the like, according to their Covenant of brotherly love, and faithfulneſſe; the brethren of his own Church labour to convince him of his ſinfull weakneſſe, herein to diſſwade him from his purpoſe, to which counſell, God uſually toweth his heart to ſtoop and ſubmit: But if after all their diſſwaſions, they ſhall ſee the bent of his ſpirit unremovably ſet upon removall; in ſuch a caſe, if his ſinne be not apparent, and his danger imminent, they uſe indulgence towards him, as not willing to make the Church of God a priſon to any man. But when men thus depart, God uſually followeth them with a bitter curſe: either taking away their lives from them, or blaſting them with povertie, or expoſing them to ſcandall where they come, or in entertaining them with ſuch reſtleſſe agitations, that they are driven to repent of their former raſhneſſe, and many times to deſire to returne to the Church, from which they had broken away.
SECT. III.
OUr third way of communion with other Churches, is by way of Conſultation, whereof wee have given ſome touch before; as 1. In time of the gathering of a Church, the Brethren who deſire to enter into Church-eſtate, doe give notice to all the Churches about them, and deſire the preſence of their Elders, and of ſuch other Brethren as they ſhall ſee meete to ſend to helpe them with their counſell, in diſcovering the ſpirits and competent gifts of ſuch members, as ſhould joyne with them in that worke; And further, to give counſell, and direction, in the ordering of that day; as hath been ſhewed above.
2. In the choice and ordination of Officers, one Church is wont to ſend to all the reſt about them, for ſuch Elders, and Brethren, as may give counſell and direction to their proceedings, and approbation of the ſame, as the matter ſhall require; as hath been formerly delivered.
3. In caſe of difference of judgement amongst the Brethren of a Church, in the adminiſtration of Church-Cenſure, and the like, to prevent all ſuſpition of partialitie or prejudice, the Church is ſometimes occaſioned to ſend to the neighbour-Churches (one or more) for the aſſiſtance of ſome of their Elders, and Brethren, to helpe them with their counſell, in diſcovering and judging of the cauſes depending amongſt them, who giving advice according to the Word, doe by the bleſſings of Chriſt heale jealouſies, and compoſe differences, and ſettle peace and love amongſt them; and this alſo hath been mentioned before.
4. In doubtfull caſes ariſing in the Church, whether of judgement or practice; where yet no difference hath riſen, but all or moſt are uncertaine, what were fit to be done; as whether a childe may be baptized by right of his Grand-fathers Covenant, or the like; the Church doth ſometimes ſend Letters or Meſſengers, to crave the counſell of other Churches; who deliberate by conſidering and arguing the matter, and agree upon what they conceive moſt agreeable to the Word; each Church ſendeth their judgements, and their reaſons, either by Elders, or by Meſſengers, to the Church that ſent to them.
SECT. IV.
A Fourth way of our communion with other Churches, is by way of Congregation, or gathering together many Churches, or the meſſengers of many Churches to examine and diſcuſſe, either ſome corrupt opinions, or ſuſpicious practices, which being ſcattered, and found in many Churches at once, cannot well be healed in any one alone. In which caſe the Elders of the Churches, deſirous to maintain verity, and unity of judgement in matters of doctrine, and integrity of life throughout all the Churches; do both acquaint our Magiſtrates, being nurſing fathers to the Church, with the neceſſary occaſions and ends of a generall and a ſolemn aſſembly, and do alſo ſolicit the Churches to ſend ſome fit perſons, at ſuch a time, to ſuch a Church (where the aſſembly be moſt ſeaſonably held) to conſider and diſcern of the matter in queſtion and agitation.
The aſſembly being met in the name of Chriſt, and his preſence called for by humble and earneſt prayer, the matters to be diſcuſſed and cleered, are propounded by ſome or other of the Elders of that Church, where we meet, or by ſome other appointed by them, and conſented to by the aſſembly.
When the matters are propounded, the Elders do declare their judgements of the points in order, one after another, together with their reaſons from the Word, at which time it is free for any man preſent (and all may be preſent, if they will) as well the Meſſengers of the Churches as others, (after leave orderly craved or obtained) to propound their doubts, without offence) whence diſputation doth ariſe (as in Act. 15.7.) till all parties be either ſatisfied or convinced, and ſo the matters in controverſie are cleared; and this courſe is taken for the clearing of all the points remaining, which may ſeem to ſome not ſo fully cleared, and agreed upon, and the nature of them ſuch as may admit further diſcuſſion; yea, and difference of apprehenſion, without diſunion of affection, or diſturbance of the Churches peace; yet for ſatisfaction of Gods people the mean while, in ſuch things each man is left to his Chriſtian liberty: So farre as they are all come, they judge and mind one thing; If any be otherwiſe minded, who in ſimplicity of heart ſeeketh the truth, and in meekneſſe of wiſdome and love holdeth forth the ſame, we hope God will in time reveale the ſame unto him: in the mean time, all agreeing in this one, not to condemn, nor to deſpiſe one another in differences of weakneſſe, according to the Apoſtles rule, Rom. 14.2, 3, 4.
SECT. V.
A Fifth way of communion with other Churches, is by contribution, or communication in yeelding ſupply to one anothers wants: for (according to the ancient preſident, in the Primitive Churches) if any of our Brethren ſhould fall into ſuch decay as not to be able to ſupply their onw neceſſities, in outward things amongſt themſelves, we ſhould take it our bounden duty, to miniſter to their wants, according to our abilities, Act. 11.29, 30. Rom. 15.25, 26. Hitherto the Lord hath been pleaſed, out of his all-ſufficient goodneſſe, ſo to ſupply us all, (each Church within it ſelf) as that we have had ſcarce (any occaſion never but once) to exerciſe our mutuall love and liberality to one another in this kind; but if need ſhould require, we conſider afore-hand, what mutuall help God requireth of us from one towards another in ſuch a caſe.
Alſo, if any of our Churches do want ſome fit members to imploy in ſome publike office amongſt them, and ſhall make known their want to ſome other Church, who may abound in ſuch bleſſings, (as ſometimes the Church at Antioch had four or five Prophets among them, Act. 13.1. when others wanted) the Church that aboundeth in ſuch helps, is ready to ſend and commend ſuch of their members as their ſelves may ſpare, and are fit for office, (but not called to office amongſt themſelves) to ſupply the neceſſities of their Brethren.
SECT. VI.
A Sixth way of communion amongſt our Churches, is by way of admonition: as it one Church ſhould be credibly given to underſtand, of ſome ſcandall ariſing in another Church, whether by corruption in doctrine, or in manners, and upon diligent ſearch and inquiry, the report is found true; the Church hearing thereof, ſendeth Letters, or Meſſengers, or both, unto the Elders of that Church, where ſuch offence is found, and exhorteth them to take a ſpeedy and diligent courſe for the redreſſe thereof; but if the Elders of that Church ſhould be remiſſe therein (or be faulty themſelves) they then certifie the whole Church thereof, to call upon their officers, as Paul ſent to the Church of Coloſs to call upon Archippus, to take diligent heed to the fullfilling of that work of the Miniſtery, which hee had received of the Lord (Col. 4.17.) If the Church heare them, the ſcandall is removed; if it heare them not, the Church offended herewith, taketh in the help of two or three Churches more to joyne with them in their exhortation, or admonition.
It ſtill the Church where the offence lieth perſiſteth in the neglect of their duty, and of the counſell of their Brethren; either the matter would be referred to a Congregation of many, or all the Churches together; (if need ſhould require) or elſe, if the offence be evident and weighty, and of ill, though not generall conſequence, the Churches offended with them would (as juſtly they might) withdraw themſelves from the right hand of fellowſhip, and ſo forbeare all ſuch exercises of mutuall brotherly communion with them, which all the Churches of Chriſt are wont to walke in one towards another.
We have never yet been put to the utmoſt extent of this duty towards any of our Churches: The Lord hitherto ſo farre preventing with his grace, that no Church hath ſtood out ſo long in maintaining any offence found amongſt them: But if it ſhould ſo fall out, (which God forbid) wee look at it as our dutie to be faithfull, one Church to another, in like ſort as the Brethren of the ſame Church are called to be faithfull one towards another; Doe not Churches injoy brotherly Communion one with another, as well as brethren of the ſame Church? The Church in the Canticles tooke care, not onelyonly for her own members, but for her little ſiſter, which had no breaſts, Cant. 8.8. And would ſhee have taken no care of having her breaſts healed, if her breaſts had been diſtempered, and given corrupt milke? The Apoſtles had a publick care (by vertue of their office) of all the Churches, 2 Cor. 11.28. And is the publick ſpirit of grace and love dead with them? ought not all the Churches of Chriſt, to have a care and watchfull eye over the publick good of one another? Though not virtute officii, yet intuitu charitatis.
SECT. VII.
THe ſeventh and laſt way of the Communion of our Churches, is by way of propagation, or multiplication of Churches; Though this was a peculiar eminency of the Apoſtolike calling for them in their life-times to travell into all Nations, to preach the Goſpel, to beget Diſciples, to gather them into Church-eſtate, and ſo to plant Churches whereſoever they came: yet that which they did by vertue of their office, is reſerved unto the Churches of Chriſt, to proſecute and carry along (according to their meaſure) throughout all generations, and in all Nations, for the inlargement of the kingdome of Chriſt, unto the end of the world.
The power of the keys, which was immediately given by Chriſt unto his Apoſtles, is alſo given by Chriſt unto all the Churches, in that fulneſſe of meaſure, which the eſtabliſhment and enlargement of Chriſts kingdome doth require.
If then any particular Church of Chriſt ſhall come in proceſſe of time to be ſo farre multiplyed, as that like Bees when the hive is too full they are neceſſarily occaſioned to ſwarme forth (as it is indeed the caſe when the voice of their Miniſters cannot reach to all) in ſuch, or in the like caſe, the Church ſurcharged with multitude, may ſend forth ſundry of their members, fit for the purpoſe, to enter into a Church-eſtate amongſt themselves; or if a number of godly Chriſtians ſhall come over into a Countrey, where they finde the Churches ſo full, that they cannot with conveniency joyne with them, the Church may comfortably encourage them, to enter into holy Covenant amongſt themſelves. They may alſo commend both unto the one Company, and unto the other, ſuch able gifted men, whom they may fitly chooſe, to be Miniſters and Officers to them, and both then when they enter into Covenant, and gather into Church-eſtate, (as hath been ſhewed in the beginning) as alſo when they goe about to chooſe and ordaine Church-Officers amongſt themſelves, the Churches already eſtabliſhed ought to be ready to helpe them, with their preſence, counſell, and aſſiſtance, ſo farre as ſhall be found requiſite for the propagation and enlargement of the kingdome of Chriſt, in the multiplication of Churches according to the order of the Goſpel.
Thus have wee given unto all our holy Brethren, throughout the Churches of our Lord Jeſus, a juſt and true account of all our proceedings in Church-affaires; ſo farre as concerneth our way and order amongſt our ſelves. If wee fall ſhort of the Rule, in ſome thing or other goe aſtray, it is our humble and earneſt requeſt unto all our godly learned Brethren, that they will be pleaſed, Erranti comiter monſtrare viam; but if the way wee walke in be found, upon ſerious and mature conſideration, to be agreeable to the rules of the Goſpell (as wee verily beleeve it is) let all the upright in heart be intreated, in the name of the Lord Jeſus, not to judge or ſpeake evill of the wayes of Chriſt before his people; But rather ſeeke how to addreſſe themſelves, and to call on others to walke in the ſtraight ſteps of the Lord Jeſus, in the kingdome of his grace, till wee ſhall all come to meete him in the kingdome of his glory.