The Way of the Churches of Christ in New England, Tract · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Of the way of reformation in the Congregations in England.
SECT. I.
WEE take not upon us as foreign, to preſcribe unto our Brethren in England, (men of their Churches, and eminent lights in the world) what courſe to take in purſuing and perfecting the great worke of Reformation in England; Nay, wee know our own Tenuity, the ſtore of buſines enough, which wee have to attend unto neere home: Nevertheleſſe, as wee cannot cease to pray for, and ſeek their good as our own; ſo wee cannot but rejoyce with them to behold that open doore which God hath ſet before them, and with that all their hearts were ſo far enlarged towards the Lord, and to his waves, as wee heare his hand is enlarged towards them. OnelyOnly being abſent in body, but preſent in ſpirit, wee crave leave to beare witneſſe to them, and with them; That if the Lord be pleaſed to proſper his worke amongſt them, it is poſſible to reduce the eſtate of the Congregations in England, to ſuch a reformation, as is ſutable to the patterne revealed in the Goſpel, according to the way of Primitive ſimplicitie, deſcribed above.
Foure things wee obſerve in the eſtate of the Churches in England, which make way for Reformations amongſt them.
Firſt, The efficient inſtruments of their firſt plantation, which were either Apoſtles, or Apoſtolicall men, whether Philip, or Joſeph of Arimathea, or Simon Zelotes, as any of our Countrymen may reade in Mr. Foxes booke of Acts and Monuments, in the beginning of it, next after the ſtory of the ten Primitive Perſecutions, out of Gildas, Tertullian, Origen, Beda, Nicephorus. Which being ſo, wee cannot but conceive the Churches in England were rightly gathered, and planted according to the Rule of the Goſpel; and all the corruptions found in them ſince, have ſprung from Popiſh Apoſtaſie in ſucceeding ages, and from want of through and perfect purging out of that leaven in the late times of Reformation in the dayes of our Fathers. So that all the worke now is, not to make them Churches, which were none before, but to reduce and reſtore them to their Primitive Inſtitution.
Secondly, The publick Service-booke acknowledgeth, That in the Primitive Church, there was a godly Diſcipline; That notorious ſinners were put to open penance, and puniſhed in this world; that both their ſoules might be ſaved in the day of the Lord, and others admoniſhed by their example, might be the more afraid to offend. Which godly Diſcipline, is a thing (ſaith the Booke) much to be deſired, that it might be reſtored againe. See the beginning of the Comminations againſt ſinners. It is therefore acknowledged by the very ſtate of the Churches of England, that the preſent eſtate of Church diſcipline, is not perfect, but defective, and ſwerving from the Primitive godly diſcipline.
Thirdly, In the publick Rubrick before the Catechiſme, it is ordered, That when children come to yeares of diſcretion, and have learned what others promiſed for them in Baptiſme, they ſhould then themſelves with their own mouth, and with their own conſent, openly before the Church ratifie and confirme the ſame: And alſo promiſe, that by the grace of God, they will evermore endeavour themſelves, faithfully to obſerve and keep ſuch things as by their own mouth and confeſſion they have aſſented to. Which courſe the Booke in a few words after acknowledgeth to be agreeable with the uſage of the Church of times paſt, That children coming to perfect age, having been inſtructed in Chriſtian Religion, ſhould openly profeſſe their own faith, and promiſe to be obedient to the will of God. Which direction (if it were as duly obſerved, as it is expreſly ordered) doth plainly hold forth, that the Church of England (as they call it) doth not acknowledge any to be confirmed members of the Church, and ſo unfit to partake of the Lords Supper, till they have expreſly confeſſed their faith openly before the Church, and promiſed obedience to the will of God. Which if it be ſeriouſly done, and not perfunctorily, is ſomewhat of like nature with our receiving of members into the Church, and joyning them by Covenant.
Fourthly, In the Exhortation before the Communion, the Miniſter is directed to denounce unto the people, That if any of them be a blaſphemer of God, an hinderer or ſlanderer of his Word, an adulterer, or be in malice, or envie, or in any other grievous crime, they ſhould bewaile their ſinnes, and not come to that holy Table, leſt after the taking of that Sacrament, the Devill enter into them, as he entered into Judas, &c. Which plainly argueth, they would allow no ſcandalous perſon to partake in the Communion of the Lords Table: All theſe things preſuppoſed, really performed, and ſeriouſly attended to, might open a doore to ſundry paſſages of a more full and perfect Reformation.
SECT. II. Tendering certain Propoſitions tending to the Reformation of the Churches in England.
Propoſ. 1. WHere godly Miniſters be already planted in any Congregations, let them (with due encouragement from the State) call the people to ſolemne humiliation before the Lord for their own ſins, & thoſe of their fathers they have imitated. So did Ezra, and Nehemiah, with the Levites and Prieſts, and upon the like occaſions, Nehem. 9.2.2, 3, 4. & Ezra 10.1, 2.9, 10. For though the Parliament, & the whole Kingdome have proteſted, and Covenanted Reformation for the time to come, yet they have cauſe alſo to be humbled, and that throughly for the time paſt.
2. Let ſuch of the people, as are of good knowledge in the wayes of God, and of approved converſation, take up that courſe which the Service-book (as hath been ſaid) giveth an hint of; Renue their Covenant formerly made in Baptiſme, profeſſing their faith and repentance, and promiſing Reformation of life, not onelyonly in their private converſation, but alſo in their publick Communion in the Church of God, yeelding profeſſed ſubjection to the Goſpel of Chriſt in the fellowſhip of all his holy Ordinances.
3. Let no Miniſter, that loves the Lord Jeſus better then his own belly, ſtand upon his advocation from his Patron, but rather expect his vocation from his people.
4. For this end let every Patron reſtore his jus patronatus to the Church. Or if it ſeeme too hard a thing for them to part ſo freely with their freehold, (though they ought freely to give unto Chriſt, who have received freely from him) the Parliament may be pleaſed to give them a competent part of the revenues of the Benefice, (as they call it) and annex it to their own private inheritance, reſerving ſo much to the uſe of the Church, as may ſtrengthen their hands in a ſufficient maintenance of their Miniſtery; for though things dedicated to ſacred uſe, cannot be alienated, or diverted to private uſe without ſacriledge, yet that holdeth in ſuch things as are ſo dedicated to ſacred uſe, as that the Lord accepteth as ſacred to himſelfe: But God no where in the new Teſtament, hath expreſſed his acceptance, or allowance of lands, dedicated to the miniſtery, but onelyonly to the ſervice of the whole Church, and then for the Churches ſervice they may be diſpoſed of by their conſent; as ſometimes the Kings and Princes of Iſrael gave away the treaſures of the Temple, to ſave themſelves from captivitie, 2 King. 18.15, 16.
5. The people having called or choſen their Miniſter (one or more) unto office in a day of humiliation, let them in the preſence of the Miniſters of other Churches depute ſome of the graveſt and godly members of the Church, to lay their hands upon him, with prayer over him in the name of the Lord, ſetting him apart to that office. The whole Congregation are ſaid to anoint Zadok to the office of an high Prieſt, as well as Solomon to be King, 1 Chron. 29.22. Which is a ſacred right, as Impoſition of hands; and this the whole body of them could not doe, but by deputing ſome eminent perſons amongſt them to the performance thereof: But after they be furniſhed with Elders, (a Presbytery of their owne) let Impoſition of hands be given by them (according to 1 Tim. 4.14.) to ſuch as for the future ſhall be ordained.
6. For the making up of a Presbytery, in ſtead of Parſon and Vicar (wherewith ſome Congregations are endowed) let them chooſe Paſtors and Teachers; and Ruling Elders, in ſtead of thoſe who crept into their roome, viz. the Church-wardens, and Sideſmen. But let them chooſe and ordaine them in a day of humiliation (according to Acts 14.23.) and not for a yeare onelyonly, but during life; and let the Presbyteries of all neighbour Churches, take all opportunities to make uſe one of another, for brotherly conſultation, but not for Juriſdiction, and Authoritie one over another. And in ſtead of Collectors or Overſeers for the poore (who crept into the roome of Deacons) let Deacons be choſen as hath been ſhewed above; but not as members of the Presbytery.
7. For ſet forms of prayer, or preſcript Liturgies, let them not be enjoyned unto the Miniſters of the Churches; but let the Miniſters as well give up themſelves wholly unto prayer, as to the Miniſtery of the Word, Act. 6.4.
8. Baptiſme may orderly be adminiſtred to the children of ſuch parents, as have profeſſed their faith and repentance before the Church, as above. Or where either of the parents have made ſuch profeſſion; or it may be conſidered alſo whether the children may not be baptized, where either the grand-father or grand-mother have made ſuch profeſſion, and are ſtill living to undertake for the Chriſtian education of the childe; for it may be conceived where there is a ſtipulation of the Covenant on Gods part, and a reſtiſtipulation on mans part, there may be an obligation of the Covenant on both parts, Gen. 17.7. Or if theſe faile, what hindereth, but that if the parents will reſigne their infant to be educated in the houſe of any godly member of the Church, the childe may be lawfully baptized in the right of its houſhold Governour, according to the proportion of the law, Gen. 17.12, 13.
9. Let the Lords Supper be adminiſtred onelyonly to ſuch, as have ſo profeſſed their faith and repentance publickly, and are received & approved members of the Church, endued with ſufficient knowledge, to examine themſelves, and to diſcerne the Lords body: free from ſcandall, and of good converſation.
10. Let Officers in the Church be redreſſed, and removed, not by preſentments to Officers of other Churches, but according to the order of the Goſpel, deſcribed above, Chap. 5. ſect. 1, 2, 3.
11. Where the Miniſters of the Congregation are ignorant or ſcandalous, meet it is that they were removed, and better choſen in their roome by the people; according to the counſell & direction of the godly Miniſters and brethren of neighbour Churches, Hoſ. 4.6.
12. Where the people in a Congregation are generally ignorant and profane, it were neceſſary godly Preachers were ſent forth with countenance from the King and State, to preach unto them, till they were brought on to knowledge, and to ſome meaſure of gracious reformation. Thus Jehoſaphat ſent forth Prieſts and Levites, to teach in the Cities of Judah, and certaine Princes and Nobles with them, to countenance the good worke in their hands, 2 Chron. 17.7, 8, 9.
13. Till the people be in ſome ſort duly prepared, and growne up to ſome meaſure of knowledge, and grace, it were neither meet to receive them to a renewing of their Covenant formerly made at their Baptiſme, or to the ſeales of it. But after they have been wrought upon by the Miniſtery of the Word, to lament after the Lord; as the Iſraelites did when the Arke had been long abſent from them, 1 Sam. 7.29. then let them proceed as other godly Chriſtians were directed to doe, Propoſ. 2, 3, &c. for renewing of their Covenant, for choice of their Miniſters, and Officers, and for Communication in all the liberties of the Church of God.
14. For the helpe of the Univerſities (of the whole Kingdome, and of all the Churches in it) it were neceſſary, that ſome experienced godly learned Nobles and Miniſters were deputed, to viſite and reforme the Univerſities; That ſubſcriptions to Ceremonies and preſcript Liturgies were removed; That degrees in Divinitie were not abuſed unto qualifications for pluralities, and non-reſidency, nor allowed in the Miniſters of Churches, to put a difference between brethren of the ſame calling, whence Chriſt hath removed it, Mat. 23.8, 9, 10. The foreign there mentioned, is not to be tranſlated Maſter; for it is a Title common to all Miniſters, but Doctors; and the Academicall title of Doctors, is fitter for Maſters of Colledges, & Readers in the Schooles, then for Church-officers. Here alſo ſpeciall care would be taken for ſetting up of ſuch Preachers in both the Univerſities, as whoſe ſpirit, and gift, and Miniſtery, might be examplary patterns to young Students.
15. For the effectuall and orderly expedition and tranſaction of all theſe things, it were requiſite, that as King Jehoſaphat did, ſo the King and State ſhould depute ſome choice perſons to doe the ſame, to wit, to goe throughout all the Kingdome, to ſee the people returned, and all the Churches reſtored to a true ſtate and courſe of Reformation, 2 Chron. 19.4.
All which things are humbly preſented by us, not as if we would undertake to give Counſell to them that are wiſer then our ſelves, much leſſe, Injunctions; But as Subjects who deſire to approve our faithfull ſervice to the Lord, and our King and Countrey, hold them forth as true Conſectaries from the Rules of the Goſpel, which ſhould rule us all.
FINIS.