The Government of the Churches of Christ, Book 6 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
That Jesus Christ hath given Liberty and Power to his Saints, to imbody themselves into Congregational Churches. That in doing so, they are not guilty of sinfull Separation or Schism.
WE have seen, that a particular Church is the Institution of Christ, and what this Church is, and of whom to be made up, and how: There yet remains to shew the Rise, Original of such Churches, and to clear it out, and by whom any such Churches are to be Reared, Erected, and Begun, and Set up; and in whom the Power and Authority lies to begin and Build, and gather together Saints into such a Church. Which we must consider; for otherwise; though the thing done is Lawful and Warrantable, and is God's Ordinance; yet we may still be ask't (as they ask't Christ) by what Authority do ye these things?
For the building of the Temple, it was not only necessary, that a command and Institution could be produced, that such an House was to be built; which though Moses gave express Warrant for, but yet this was not Warrant enough for every one to begin to Build it; no not for David, for though he was the King of Israel, and so had the Supream power in the Common-wealth, &c. committed to him; yet it was beyond his Commission to Attempt the Building it, till he should have a Special Commission from God to do it, as God tells him, 2 Sam. 7. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. He indeed provided Materials, and gave the Platform; but Solomon was only to build it, v. 13. As therefore we are to look to a word of Institution, that it be done, and to a right Pattern and Modell how it be done, and to right Materials, of whom this House be built; so as much also to the true and lawful Power, by which it is to be put in Execution; and by whom it may be built. For as the Apostle to the Hebrews tells us, (Heb. 3, 4.) Every House is built by some Man; so this House must have a lawful Builder.
All Assemblies (as at first I intimated) must be conveened by lawful Authority; and so must this. Now though it is Warranted to be set up in Christ's immediate Institution; yet the setting of it up is done by Men, whom Christ Authorizeth to do it. He Reareth it not as he doth our House in Heaven, without Hands (1 Cor. 5. 1.) but his Temple here below, as that of Solomon's is made with Hands; and the Rearing of it runs through the Hands of some, as the Builders of it.
Now there are that pretend to have this power as of Governing; so only of beginning and giving Warrant to Saints to make Churches: Who yet will be found to prove in this, such Builders as the Pharisees, who refused the head Stone, and neither build truly themselves, according to the Pattern, nor will suffer others. And they are such Magistrates, and such Church-Governours, who would call in all Church-Patents, not erected by themselves, with a quo Warranto?
This power must certainly lie somewhere, else it were an Institution in vain, which could never be produced into Act. Now this is that which I am about to Demonstrate. That as the Saints and Members of Christ Mystical, are only fit matter for this Church; so they have an immediate Independent Power and Authority from Jesus Christ, their immediate Head and King, to gather and combine themselves in such an Assembly, without expecting Warrant from any Governors, what ever on Earth: I shall first explain, and then prove it.
1. Ministers make not a Church, nor are they or their power requisite to the first gathering of it. The Ministers or Church-Governors, even those that begat to Christ, have not this power of casting us into Churches, and Disposing us herein. So far as they had a hand in begetting us: So far they may have a hand in it, that is by directing us to it, and exhorting us unto it; but the power is in our selves immediately. And there is this Reason, why the power of gathering Churches is not Dependent on them, because they are to be set in Churches, 1 Cor. 12. 28. Acts 14. 23. There were Churches gathered, e're Elders were made in them. And then besides, if such a power was Resident in the Ministers, then when they dye, a Congregation should cease to be a Church. We are not then to a-wait the leave of Church-Governors, for the gathering of a Church.
2. Two or three Saints have an immediate power from Christ, to begin this Fellowship.
1. It is so in Christ's Institution, Matth. 18. 20. The Writ or Commission for it runs immediately and singly in his Name, not in the Kings, nor in the Ministers, &c. because his Power and Authority is Warrant enough. Neither is it the meaning only, that when so gathered, they should do all in his Name, but even to Gather themselves into a Church, is in his Name. For if the very gathering together, be an Ordinance of it self to frame a Church thereby; then there is the same reason of it, that there is of all other Ordinances. And therefore as when gathered, they have power in his Name, to Excommunicate in his Name, 1 Cor. 5. 4. and to Baptize in his Name, &c. so to gather in his Name too: And as a Magistrate hath power to forbid those an Ordinance to be Administred, so not to hinder this other. For if gathering together it self be an Ordinance, as it is, it therefore hath his Name put to it, as well as the rest; and they have not power to intermeddle in it, nor is their power to be required for the one, more than for the other. And besides Christ's bidding Saints to gather in his Name, is as if the King should in a Commission, say to such and such when ye are gathered together in my Name, do thus, which implies, that he gives them power in his Name to meet.
2. As Christ did thus immediately in his Name ordain it: So the Apostles taught the Disciples to practice it as immediately from Christ, without expecting leave from Magistrates or any other; and what they taught them to do, we may do to the end of the World. And there is the same reason for doing it under Magistrates, Christian, as Heathen; for the power is but the same. The Apostles bad them not forsake Assembling themselves, Heb. 10. 25. He speaks not only to particular Persons not to leave the Assemblies; but to the whole Churches of the Jews, not to forsake Church Assemblings, not to break up their meetings, notwithstanding they were Persecuted, ver. 33. And so for the same reason, we are not to forbear to Assemble. And the true Radical Fundamental grounds of this are,
1. Because as Jesus Christ is the King of Saints, so he is an immediate King unto them, Ephes. 1. 22. As God hath given him to be over all things, so over all things a Head to his Church; so as in this point of Head-ship, no Inferior power on Earth doth come between. In all matters which immediately do pass between, and which concern him and them in this Relation, he is an immediate Governor to them; and hath put none of his power out of his Hands, to Magistrates or the civil power. And therefore his Ordinances they are to exercise and enjoy, without any immediate Commission from Men.
2. As he is thus immediate King; so he hath Reserved this power to himself: And you shall find that Christ mentions this his Transcendent power, to this very purpose. He first sent his Apostles out to Preach, and make Disciples, Matth. 28. 19. All power is given to me in Heaven and Earth, (says he) Go ye therefore and make Disciples, (as the word is) and Baptize them, and Teach them to do what ever I command, whereof this, as was shewn, was one. And in this saying, I am not with you only, but those that believe on me, to the end of the World, (ver. 20.) Christ mentions his Supream Power, and shews that he was able to command and make good this; for he had power over all. He commanded it, and promised this. And with all to see the equity of it, consider that he who is over all, and hath derived much of his power to Kings and Magistrates, his Vice-gerents on Earth, hath Subjected the Estates, Lives and Persons of his Saints as Men, as well as the rest of Men to them; yet that which concerns Spiritual power between him and them as their King, he reserved to himself, as a so exempt flower of his Prerogative. And it is as equal he should assume it and ordain it thus, as it was that God should reserve to himself one day of Seaven, having given us Six. So doth Christ allow Magistrates power in Temporal things over Men, and all Creatures here below; only his peculiar People, and Royal Nation, as they are Saints, and in things pertaining to him and his Worship, he hath Exempted them. The Magistrates are indeed to use their power, to see his Laws kept; so that this Liberty of ours, is not to be maintained and practised of us, as our Liberty; but as Christ's Prerogative, which we his Courtiers are not to suffer to be encroached upon, or diminished.
3. As he is thus a King immediate, and hath reserved this power to himself; so he hath given and imparted all to his Saints, that might fully enable them, and qualifie them for it.
1. By giving them Right, and such a Right, as is Natural to a Saint, as a Saint; and therefore can no more be encroached on by them, then Natural Liberties of Men, as Men May be invaded. The Saints (as was said) by reason of the Divine Nature do breath after a Fellowship one with another, even as every one as a Man, doth after fellowship with one of the same kind. It is not good for Man to be alone (as God said, Gen. 2. 18.) And therefore he Created the Woman, and besides Instituted that Ordinance of Marriage in Paradise, for the comfort and propagation of Mankind. The Right unto which Fellowship, and the comforts of it belongs unto a Man or Woman as such naturally, as likewise there is a Natural propension to it. So likewise to satisfie this common desire in all Saints, of having Fellowship together, Christ the Author of this New World and Generation, ordained this Ordinance of a Church, and Ordinances to be enjoyed in it, for the Building up of the New Creature; and the Propagation of it to others. And likewise the Right unto this Fellowship, and the Ordinances of it doth reside in a Saint as a Saint; and so in all Saints, whereever they be. So Christ says of Children, Mar. 10. 14. Suffer them to come to me, and forbid them not, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven; that is, they have Right in me, as well as you, and in some Ordinances, as well as you. But more expresly the Holy Ghost speaks, Rev. 22. 14. Blessed are they that do the commandments, that they may have Right to the Tree of Life, and to enter into the City. He speaks of that Glorious Church, afore the end of the World; which was that City; and the Tree of Life is Christ, in the Ordinances of that Church: For so to Adam, the Tree of Life was a Sacrament of the Second Commandment. Which Tree of Life standing in the City, a Man must first enter into, and be admitted into the City; and then to the eating of that Tree. So that,
1. He that doth the commandments, and is a Godly Man, hath a Right as such both to the Sacraments and to a Church-fellowship: But to the Sacraments but Remotely; and not till first admitted into the City. So that a Saint's immediate Right to the Sacrament, is founded in a Church-State, into which he must first be admitted; yet such a Radical Potential Right he hath, as he ought to be admitted; as every Man as a Man, hath a Right to Marriage comforts, but yet remotely; for he must be Marryed first, and entred into that Fellowship, and then he hath an actual Right.
But 2. He hath to a Church-fellowship, a more immediate Right, so as there is nothing betwixt him and it; but only that others joyn with him in it, as in a Marriage-fellowship it is.
3. Unto this Fellowship and Ordinances none other have Right, ver. 23. Without are Dogs, and that make a Lye, false Professors, and Rev. 21. 27. There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, &c.
2. As they thus have a Right to this Fellowship and Ordinances (Christ having ordained them, and them alone, as the Children's Bread, and not for Dogs) so Christ hath given them an immediate power from himself to enjoy these Ordinances, not deriving it from any other power whatever, but his own. Wherein it doth, in part, differ from that Ordinance of Marriage, to which, though a Man hath a Right as a Man, yet Parents have power over their Children (1 Cor. 7. 37.) to enjoin them in this Ordinance, that their consent be asked, and obtained. But it is not so in this Combination Spiritual, unto which a Saint, as a Saint, hath both a Right and full power to cast themselves, and joyn in such a way immediately; not only without asking Magistrate's consent. Who as in Marrying of the Subjects, they have no power in any Common-wealth, nor are to have, (it being an Act of Natural Right, not Civil, and so out of his Bounds) so much less have they power in this Spiritual Union, it being a Spiritual Right, which is Transcendently more out of the Sphere of their Authority and Power. Also according to the Law of Nature, King's have nothing to do with Family Government and Order, to appoint whom I shall admit, &c. because their power presupposeth Family Government first: Much less have they power in God's Family-matters.
1. 'Tis true indeed, they have a power to permit it. So Cyrus gave commission to build the Temple, and protected them in it. And therefore Paul bids them in their Congregations, to Pray for Kings, 1 Tim. 2. 2, 3, 4. That they may lead peaceable Lives in all Godliness, and so in all the Ways and Ordinances of it. And that advantage the Saints have, when Magistrates are Godly, &c.
2. They have power to exact the performance of Christ's Laws. Magistrates have a power to punish Saints that are either Subjects, if they neglect any Ordinance, and so if they neglect among the rest, this Duty of casting themselves into Assemblies. And God's good Hand may be with them in such commands, as 2 Chron. 30. When Hezekiah sent out commands to the People to Assemble to the Passover. ver. 12. The Hand of God was to give the People one Heart, to do the commandment of the King, by the word of the Lord.
3. They need not to expect their power or leave, for their gathering into a Church, as if without it, such a Combination were unlawful; nor to forbear out of Conscience of their Prohibition. If indeed they used force or persecution actual, they might forbear their Assemblies as the Disciples, Acts 8. 1. and scatter themselves; but not because of the command simply, but the Persecution; because God will have Mercy, not Sacrifice.
4. Christian Magistrates have no more power herein, then Heathen Magistrates; for his conversion encreaseth not his power, but Sanctifieth it. And therefore not as Christian Magistrates are we to expect their leave if we have immediate power from Christ.
3. Christ hath invested his Saints with such a power, by giving them power to Judge of, and to call each other to come into such Church-Fellowship. Let us go to the Mountain of the Lord, Esa. 2. 3. For the Spiritual Man Judgeth all things, and is Judged of none; and therefore is Supream Judge in things Spiritual, as this meerly is: As he is a Judge of Truths (so as he needs no outward Judge in Doctrines) so also of Persons. And if they have power to Judge them within, without the help of Magistrates power; then also to Judge whom to take in.
4. Christ Invests them with this Right, by communicating his Offices to them, even as Moses put some of his power upon the Elders; so hath Christ on his Church. They are Kings and Priests, and made so by him; and if so, then in what they are Kings, they are Supream, and Independent, Rev. 1. 6: And as he is to have an eternal Government over them; so they are to have towards one another in his Church Fellowship.
5. This Kingdom is too Transcendent for the Sphere of any Inferior power to deal in. For their's is but of this World; but my Kingdom, says Christ, is not of this World, John 18. 36. And if they have nothing to do in things Natural, which Men as Men have a Right and Power to do, much less in that which is Spiritual, and which belongs to Saints as Saints.
6. It is a Liberty that Christ hath purchased for his Saints: Which, whatever it be, we are to stand fast in, Gal. 5. 1. Now this is part of our Liberty, that in matters of Worship; which are things of another World, we are not Subject to Ordinances of Men, 2 Col. 20. Why as living in the World, are ye subject to Ordinances, In things of this World, you may be so, but not in things of another World; such as Christ's Ordinances, whereof the Fundamental one is this of Church-Fellowship. Which Liberty, though the Defence of it, hath cost us our Liberty in the way we once went in, and in the Ordinances then enjoyed; and so in some things, and especially in some times, may be a Snare; yet it is a Royalty, which take all times and seasons (that may run over the Churches Head) is for our Advantage, that by vertue of it in all times, we may enjoy the Ordinances as freely from Christ in one time or Age as in another.
7. For that was the end why Christ ordained it thus. For if Christ had not given this immediate Independent power to the Saints, as well as Right, then they might in some Ages, yea, in most, never have enjoyed that which they had a Right unto; and so that Right would have been in vain. But Christ did not leave his Saints so Destitute; but that as he gave them a fitness for a Church-Society, desires after it, a Right to it, and Ordinances to be enjoyed; so he gave power to enjoy them Independently, let Magistrates, &c. be in all Ages what they will.
Thus you see what Power and Liberty we have to begin a Church: But then again, the question and case will further be put; that we living under Christian Governors, and among Churches and Congregations allowed by them: What Warrant may we have for this apart, and Clanculary practice, of setting up such a Church as this?
In answer to this, suppose them Churches we will, as indeed I will not Dispute it (only to any of you that think them not; you have the fuller Warrant for that Practice, Warrant enough for that opinion; which I have not) therefore I will go upon Supposition, and such grounds, as all may and will agree in.
1. Though they are Churches; yet if you were never truly Members of any, you are free to begin where you will; and so to be of the best. This liberty we under the Gospel have, that the Jews had not; for there being to them but one Church, and that was National under the High Priest; they were in no case, to set up another; and but in case of Idolatry, to remove from communion with it. But now under the Gospel, Churches may be erected every where by Saints, and 'tis free to them to joyn with whom they please. Now for us, whether any of us may account our selves Members of any of their Churches, needs not much examining. To give our selves up to such a Fellowship with those, with which we did partake the Ordinances, was not our Intention then; but we came to receive Christ, as Members of his Mystical Body, and so as such who had a Personal Right to Christ, and that was all. Which Acts, though God accepted, winking at our Ignorance; and for those times and occasions of receiving Sacraments, accepted them as Church Acts; yet not such as to oblige us to the Congregation we received in; we intending no more special communion with the Saints therein, in one than in another.
2. Though they are Churches before God, and so to be acknowledged by us, in our opinion of them; yet they are not such as necessarily we should be tyed to continue in; and not to remove from.
1. Because they are Churches defective in Ordinances, it is Warrant to remove to such a Church, where all may be enjoyed (which, do what we can, could not be in them) and this by vertue of that liberty mentioned under the Gospel. So as it is not a Removal from no Church to a Church; but from a Defective Church, to a Church more compleat in all Ordinances of Prophesying, Offices, Excommunication, &c. And in such Churches, where the Admission useth not to be Formal, the leave to depart needs not be Formal.
2. Because they are Defiled Churches to our Judgments, and so Defiled, as to continue in them, a Man himself would become Defiled also; in this case a Man may remove from them; and therefore much more he may choose, whether he will ingage in them when he is free. For though they remain Churches to my Judgment still (as a Leprous Man is a Man) and that because they are so in God's acceptation; yet to me they are the same as no Church, if I cannot enjoy the Ordinances in them; or shall be Defiled in the enjoying them. So as they may be Churches as to their State, when not in use to me.
As 1. If to the free enjoying any Ordinance, any thing sinful must be practised; as in receiving the Sacrament, let that Church be in it self, and in my Judgment otherwise never so Reformed, yet if this be imposed on me, or I must not receive; it is no Mother to me, for it denies to me her Child, the Bread which is due to me as a Child's Portion.
2. In other practises it is so Defiled, as that I cannot constantly be a Member in it, but I must also be Defiled; as in mixt receiving, in which since the wicked are made one Body with the Saints, there is a sin which lies somewhere, 1 Cor 10. 17. And if that the not exercising this power, which is due to a Congregation, and which they are not to forbear to exercise, in casting out such is a sin of the whole, and it be a Duty not to joyn with them: Then I am not to partake constantly with them (because then I should partake of their Sin) in such a mixture, and should also sin in omitting the Ordinance of withdrawing from them, 2 Tim. 3. 5. The command being, Ezek. 44. 24. That God's Laws shall be kept in all the Assemblies, (especially seeing by the Godlies presence, they become Assemblies; and God vouchsafes unto them that priviledge) they again should see to execute his Laws, which from Christ Independently they have Transmitted to them. However, if this Practice, and Omission, be made but doubtful unto me, it is to me a Sin to continue among them.
3. Though it should be granted, that I might occasionally receive the Sacrament in them (as being Churches pro hac vel illâ vice) yet it will not follow, that I should be a constant Member to continue with them. For in such an occasional receiving, I am not so made a Member, as to be called to exercise any such Judicial Act of casting out the bad; but it lies on them who are constant Members of it; who by their Approbation, make themselves one Body with them.
4 But in even such a receiving occasional, I am not to partake, till I am a setled Member in some Church: For, as was said, this is a Church Ordinance, which, as a Mystical Member of Christ, a Christian hath but a Remote Right unto. And therefore I must be in a Church, ere I partake of it any where. And seeing we are not so in theirs, Original Members, it is necessary we be of a more pure Church, e're we can be capable of receiving the Lord's Supper.
5. This Church-Society therefore is not a Separation from them, as no Churches in themselves; but as no Churches to us in use. For Separation is so to part from them, as to condemn them for no Churches (as when the Saints came out of the World, they are said to Separate from it, as condemning it as lying in Wickedness and Unregenerate) but so we separate not from them; not as from no Churches to our Judgments; but as none fit for us to joyn with.
6. This, our not Separating, we may testifie by holding such communion with them, wherein we may not be Defiled; and by vertue of this our Church-Fellowship, have this further improvement by their Ordinances, as to partake with them in a New Relation. And so it is not a Separation but a new moulding of a new Church more compleat, as whem a Man that pulls down an old House, and builds with the same Materials a new one more compleat. And herein we may do as the Saints did in Hierusalem; they were joyned in a Church-Fellowship-Christian, and yet went to the Temple, and enjoyed the Ordinances there, Acts 2. 46. Which Jewish Church they Rejected, not as no Church, though such as was to vanish afore the new.
7. It need not trouble us, that this is not a visible Church (that is in the exercise and profession of it) for though that would be more comfortable; yet it is not of the essence of a Church, it being but an Adjunct. And it is called visible, not in respect of a necessary visibility to others; but as to themselves, and one to another. For so, in the Primitive Times, their Congregations were not things visible to wicked Men; but in secret to themselves, the Church being fled into the Wilderness.
8. No Danger is to Restrain us from doing our Duty herein, as in the Primitive Times it did not, when Persecution was more hot than now, Heb. 10. 25, 33, 34. 'Tis true, God will have Mercy rather than Sacrifice; but then, if the enjoying Sacrifice be a greater Mercy, than the loss of what is hazarded can be, if both being put into the ballance, Sacrifice is the greater benefit of the two, compared with what is hazarded, then we are to choose Sacrifice rather, even by vertue of that Rule, that as the Body is better than Rayment, so the Soul, than meerly Liberty or Estate. Tho' in case of Life it would alter; for then you take away the Subject which should enjoy the Sacrifice it self. Therefore when the Persecution was but the spoiling their Goods, Heb. 10. 33, 34. they forbore not to Assemble; but when it touched Life, they Dispersed themselves, Acts 8. 1.