Vindication of the Government of New England Churches 2, Preface 1
The PREFACE.
THE ſetting forth of the publick confeſſion of the faith of churches hath a double end, and both tending to public edification: Firſt, the maintenance of the faith intire within itſelf: Secondly, the holding, forth of unity and harmony, both amongſt, and with other churches. Our churches here, as (by the grace of Chriſt) we believe and profeſs the ſame doctrine of the truth of the goſpel, which generally is received in all the reformed churches of Chriſt in Europe, ſo eſpecially we deſire not to vary from the doctrine of faith and truth held forth by the churches of our native country. For though it be not one native country that can breed us all of one mind; nor ought we to have the glorious faith of our Lord Jeſus with reſpect to perſons, yet as Paul, who was himſelf a Jew, profeſſed to hold forth the doctrine of juſtification by faith, and of the reſurrection of the dead, according as he knew his godly country-men did, who were Jews by nature, (Gal 2.15. Acts 26.6, 7.) ſo we who are by nature Engliſh-men, do deſire to hold forth the ſame doctrine of religion (eſpecially in fundamentals) which we ſee and know to be held by the churches of England, according to the truth of the goſpel.
The more we diſcern (that which we do, and have cauſe to do with inceſſant mourning and trembling) the unkind, and unbrotherly, and unchriſtian contention of our godly brethren and country-men in matters of church government; the more earneſtly do we deſire to ſee them join together in one common faith; and ourſelves with them. For this end, having peruſed the public confeſſion of the faith, agreed upon by the reverend aſſembly of divines at Weſtminſter, and finding the ſum and ſubſtance thereof (in matters of doctrine) to expreſs not their own judgment only, but ours alſo; and being likewiſe called upon by our godly magiſtrates, do draw up a public confeſſion of that faith which is conſtantly taught, and generally profeſſed amongſt us; we thought good to preſent unto them, and with them to our churches; and with them to all the churches of Chriſt abroad, our profeſſed and hearty aſſent and atteſtation to the whole confeſſion of faith (for ſubſtance of doctrine) which the reverend aſſembly preſented to the religious and honorable parliment of England: Excepting only ſome ſections in the 25, 30. & 31. chapters of their confeſſion, which concerns points of controverſy in church diſcipline; touching which we refer ourſelves to the draught of church diſcipline in the enſuing treatiſe.
The truth of what we here declare, may appear by the unanimous vote of the ſynod of the elders and meſſengers of our churches, aſſembled at Cambridge, the laſt of the ſixth month, 1648, which jointly paſſed in theſe words; This ſynod having peruſed and conſidered (with much gladneſs of heart, and thankfulneſs to God) the confeſſion of faith publiſhed of late by the reverend aſſembly in England, do judge it to be very holy, orthodox and judicious in all matters of faith; and do therefore freely and fully conſent thereunto, for the ſubſtance thereof. Only in thoſe things which have reſpect to church-government and diſcipline, we refer ourſelves to the platform of church-diſcipline, agreed upon by this preſent aſſembly; and do therefore think it meet, that this confeſſion of faith ſhould be commended to the churches of Chriſt, and to the honored court, as worthy of their due conſideration & acceptance. Howbeit, we may not conceal, that the doctrine of vocation, expreſſed in chap. 10. ſect. 1. and ſummarily repeated in chap. 13. ſect. 1. paſſed not without ſome debate. Yet conſidering the term of vocation, and others by which it is deſcribed, are capable of a large, or more ſtrict ſenſe and uſe, and that it is not intended to bind apprehenſions preciſely in point of order or method, there hath been a general condeſcendency thereunto.
Now by this our profeſſed conſent and free concurrence with them in all the doctrinals of religion, we hope it may appear to the world, that as we are a remnant of the people of the ſame nation with them, ſo we are profeſſors of the ſame common faith, and fellow-heirs of the ſame common ſalvation. Yea moreover, as this our profeſſion of the ſame faith with them, will exempt us (even in their judgments) from ſuſpicion of hereſy; ſo (we truſt) it may exempt us in the like ſort from ſuſpicion of ſchiſm: that though we are forced to diſſent from them in matters of church-diſcipline, yet our diſſent is not taken up out of arrogancy of ſpirit in ourſelves (whom they ſee willingly condeſcend to learn of them) neither is it carried with uncharitable conſoriouſneſs towards them, (both which are the proper and eſſential characters of ſchiſm) but in meekneſs of wiſdom, as we walk along with them, and follow them as they follow Chriſt; ſo where we conceive a different apprehenſion of the mind of Chriſt (as it falleth out in ſome few points touching church-order) we ſtill reſerve due reverence to them (whom we judge to be, through Chriſt, the glorious lights of both nations) and only crave leave (as in the ſpirit we are bound) to follow the Lamb witherſoever he goeth, and (after the apoſtles example) as we believe, ſo we ſpeak.
And if the example of ſuch poor out-caſts as ourſelves might prevail, if not with all (for that were too great a bleſſing to hope for) yet with ſome or other of our brethren in England, ſo far as they are come to mind and ſpeak the ſame thing with ſuch as diſſent from them, we hope in Chriſt it would not only moderate the harſh judging and condemning of one another in ſuch differences of judgment as may be found in the choiceſt ſaints; but alſo prevent (by the mercy of Chriſt) the peril of the diſtraction and deſtruction of all churches in both kingdoms. Otherwiſe, if brethren ſhall go on to bite and devour one another, the apoſtle feared (as we alſo with ſadneſs of heart do) it will tend to the conſuming of them, and us all: which the Lord prevent.
We are not ignorant, (that beſides theſe aſperſions of hereſy and ſchiſm) other exceptions alſo are taken at our way of church-government, (but as we conceive) upon as little grounds. As,
1. That by admitting none into the fellowſhip of our church but ſaints by calling, we rob many pariſh churches of their beſt members, to make up one of our congregations, which is not only to gather churches out of churches, (a thing unheard of in ſcripture) but alſo to weaken the hearts and hands of the beſt miniſters in the pariſhes, by deſpoiling them of their beſt hearers.
2. That we provide no courſe for the gaining and calling in of ignorant, and erroneous, and ſcandalous perſons, whom we refuſe to receive into our churches, and ſo exclude from the wholſome remedy of church-diſcipline.
3. That in our way we ſow ſeeds of diviſion, and hindrance of edification in every family; whilſt admitting into churches only voluntaries, the huſband will be of one church, the wife of another; the parents of one church, the children of another; the maſter of one church, the ſervants of another. And ſo the parents and maſters being of different churches from their children and ſervents, they cannot take a juſt account of their profiting by what they hear; yea, by this means the huſbands, parents and maſters ſhall be chargeable to the maintenance of many other churches, and church-officers, beſides their own; which will prove a charge and burthen unſupportable.
But for anſwer, as to the firſt; for gathering churches out of churches, we cannot ſay that it is a thing unheard of in ſcripture. The firſt chriſtian church was gathered out of the Jewiſh church, and out of many ſynagogues in that church, and conſiſted partly of the inhabitants of Jeruſalem, and partly of the Galileans; who though they kept ſome communion in ſome part of publick worſhip with the temple, yet neither did they frequent the ſacrifices, nor repair to the ſanhedrim for the determining of their church cauſes, but kept intire aad conſtant communion with the apoſtles church in all the ordinances of the goſpel. And for the firſt chriſtian church of the Gentiles at Antioch, it appeareth to have been gathered and conſtituted partly of the diſperſed brethren of the church at Jeruſalem (whereof ſome were men of Cyprus and Cyrene) and partly of the believing Gentiles. Acts. 11.20, 21.
If it be ſaid, the firſt chriſtian church at Jeruſalem, and that at Antioch, were gathered not out of any chriſtian church, but of the Jewiſh temple and ſynagogues, which were ſhortly after to be aboliſhed: and their gathering to Antioch was upon occaſion of diſperſion in time of perſecution,
We deſire it may be conſidered, 1. That the members of the Jewiſh church were more ſtrongly and ſtraitly tied by expreſs holy covenant, to keep fellowſhip with the Jewiſh church till it was aboliſhed, than any members of chriſtian pariſh churches are wont to be tied to keep fellowſhip with their pariſh churches. The epiſcopal canons, which bind them to attend on their pariſh church, it is likely they are now aboliſhed with the epiſcopacy. The common law of the land is ſatisfied (as we conceive) if they attend upon the worſhip of God in any other church, though not within their own pariſh. But no ſuch like covenant of God, nor any other religious tie lieth upon them to attend the worſhip of God in their own pariſh church, as did lie upon the Jews to attend upon the worſhip of God in their temple and ſynagogues.
2. Though the Jewiſh temple church at Jeruſalem was to be aboliſhed, yet that doth not make the deſertion of it by the members to be lawful, till it was aboliſhed. Future abolition is no warrant for preſent deſertion, unleſs it be lawful, in ſome caſe, whilſt the church is yet in preſent ſtanding, to deſert it; to wit, either for avoiding preſent polutions, or for hope of greater edification, and ſo for better ſatisfaction to conſcience in either. Future events, or foreſight of them do not diſſolve preſent relations, elſe wives, children, ſervants, might deſert their huſbands, parents, maſters, when they be mortally ſick.
3. What the members of the Jewiſh church did, in joining to the church at Antioch in time of perſecution, it may well be conceived the members of any chriſtian church may do the like for ſatisfaction of conſcience. Peace of conſcience is more deſirable than the peace of the outward man; and freedom from ſcruples of conſcience is more comfortable to a ſincere heart, than freedom from perſecution.
If it be ſaid, theſe members of the chriſtian church at Jeruſalem that joined to the church at Antioch, removed their habitations together with their relations; which if the brethren of the congregational way would do, it would much abate the grievance of their departure from their preſbyterial churches.
We verily could wiſh them ſo to do, as well approving the like removal of habitation, in caſe of changing church relations (provided that it may be done without too much detriment to their outward eſtates) and we for our parts have done the ſame. But to put a neceſſity of removal of habitation in ſuch a caſe, it is to foment and cheriſh a corrupt principle of making a civil co-habitation, if not a formal cauſe, yet at leaſt a proper adjunct of church relation, which the truth of the goſpel doth not acknowledge. Now to fom…nt an error to the prejudice of the truth of the goſpel, is not to walk with a right foot, according to the truth of the goſpel, as Paul judgeth, Gal. 2. 1.
4. We do not think it meet or fa…e, for a member of a preſbyterial church forth with to deſert his relation to his church, betake himſelf to the fellowſhip of a congregational church, though he may diſcern ſome defect in the eſtate or government of his own. For,
1. Faithfulneſs of brotherly love in church-rel…tion, requireth that the members of the church ſhould firſt convince their brethren of their ſinful defects, and duly wait for their reformation, before they depart from them. For if we muſt take ſuch a courſe for the healing of a private brother, in a way of brotherly love, with much meekneſs and patience; how much more ought we ſo to walk with like tenderneſs towards a whole church.
Again, 2. 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, while 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 neighbours towards a reformation, it may be ſo much as that their elders in their own church ſhall receive none to the ſeals but viſible ſaints; and in the claſſis ſhall put forth no authoritative act (but conſultative only) touching the members of other churches, not touching their own, but with the conſent (ſilent conſent at leaſt) of their own church. Which two things, if they can obtain with any humble, meek, holy, faithful endeavors, we conceive they might (by the grace of Chriſt) find liberty of conſcience to continue their relation with their own preſbyterial church without ſcruple.
5. But to add a word further, touching the gathering of churches out of churches: what if there were no expreſs example of ſuch a thing extant in the ſcriptures? That which we are wont to anſwer the antipaedo-baptiſts, may ſuffice here: It is enough, if any evidence thereof may be gathered from juſt conſequence of ſcripture-light. Dr. Ames his judgment concerning this caſe paſſeth (for ought we know) without exception, which he gave in his fourth look of conſcience, in anſwer to two queſtions, chap. 14. num. 16. If any (ſaith he) wronged with unjuſt vexation, or providing for his own edification, or in teſtimony againſt ſin, depart from a church, where ſome evils are tolerated, and join himſelf to another more pure, yet without condemning of the church he …leaveth, he is not therefore to be held as a ſchiſmatic, or as guilty of any other ſin.
Where the tripartite disjunction which the judicious doctor putteth, declareth the lawfulneſs of the departure of a church member from his church, when either through wearineſs of unjuſt vexation, or in way of proviſion for his own edification, or in teſtimony againſt ſin, he joineth himſelf to another congregation more reformed; any one of theſe he judgeth a lawful cauſe of departure, tho' all of them do not concur together. Neither will ſuch a practice deſpoil the beſt miniſters of the pariſhes of their beſt hearers.
For,
1. Sometimes the miniſters themſelves are willing to join with their better ſort of hearers in this way of reformation, and then they and their hearers continue ſtill their church relation together; yea, and confirm it more ſtraitly and ſtrongly, by an expreſs renewed covenant, tho' the miniſters may ſtill continue their wonted preaching to the whole pariſh.
2. If the miniſters do diſlike the way of thoſe whom they otherwiſe count their beſt members, and ſo refuſe to join with them therein; yet if thoſe members can procure ſome other miniſters to join with them in their own way, and ſtill continue their dwelling together in the ſame town, they may eaſily order the times of the public aſſembly, as to attend conſtantly upon the miniſtry of their former church, and either after or before the public aſſembly of the pariſh, take an opportunity to gather together for the adminiſtration of the ſacraments and cenſures, and other church-ordinances amongſt themſelves. The firſt apoſtolic church aſſembled to hear the word with the Jewiſh church in the open courts of the temple, but afterwards gathered together for breaking of bread, and other acts of church order, from houſe to houſe.
3. Suppoſe preſbyterial churches ſhould communicate ſome of their beſt gifted members towards the erecting & gathering another church, it would not forthwith be their detriment, but may be their enlargement. It is the moſt noble & perfect work of a living creature (both in nature and grace) to propagate and multiply his kind; and it is the honor of the faithful ſpouſe of Chriſt to ſet forward the work of Chriſt as well abroad as at home. The church in Cant. 8.8. to help forward her little ſiſter church was willing to part with her choice materials, even beams of cedar, and ſuch precious living ſtones as were fit to build a ſilver palace. In the ſame book the church is ſometimes compared to a garden, ſometimes to an orchard, Cant. 4.12, 13. No man planteth a garden or orchard, but ſeeketh to get the choiceſt herbs and plants of his neighbours, and they freely impart them; nor do they account it a ſpoil to their garden and orchard, but rather a glory. Nevertheleſs, we go not ſo far, we neither ſeek nor aſk the choice members of the pariſhes, but accept them being offered.
If it be ſaid, They are not offered by the miniſters, nor by the pariſh churches (who have moſt right in them) but only by themſelves,
It may juſtly be demanded, what right or what power have either the miniſters or pariſh church over them? Not by ſolemn church government, for that, tho' it be the firmeſt engagement is not owned, but rejected. If it be their joining with the pariſh in calling and election of a miniſter to ſuch a congregation at his firſt coming, there is indeed juſt weight in ſuch an engagement; nor do we judge it ſafe for ſuch to remove from ſuch a miniſter, unleſs it be upon ſuch grounds as may juſtly give him due ſatisfaction. But if the union of ſuch members to a pariſh-church, and to the miniſtry thereof, be only by co-habitation within the precincts of the pariſh, that union, as it was founded upon human law, ſo by human law it may eaſily be releaſed. Or otherwiſe, if a man remove his habitation, he removeth alſo the bond of his relation, and the ground of offence.
4. It need not be fear'd that all the beſt hearers of the beſt miniſters, no, nor the moſt of them will depart from them upon point of church government. Thoſe who have found the preſence and power of the ſpirit of Chriſt breathing in their miniſters, either to their converſion or edification, will be ſlow to change ſuch a miniſtry of faith and holineſs, for the liberty of church-order. Upon which ground, and ſundry other ſuch like, there be, doubtleſs, ſundry godly and judicious hearers in many pariſhes in England, that do and will prefer their relation to their miniſters (though in a preſbyterial way) above the congregational confederation.
5. But if all, or the moſt part of the beſt hearers of the beſt miniſters of pariſhes ſhould depart from them, as preferring in their judgment, the congregational way, yet in caſe the congregational way ſhould prove to be of Chriſt, it will never grieve the holy hearts of godly miniſters, that their hearers ſhould follow Chriſt; yea many of themſelves (upon due deliberation) will be ready to go along with them. It never grieved nor troubled John Baptiſt that his diſciples departed from him to follow after Chriſt, John 3. But if the congregational way ſhould prove to be, not the inſtitution of Chriſt (as we take it) but the invention of men, then doubtleſs the preſbyterial form (if it be of God) will ſwallow up the other, as Moſes's rod devoured the rods of the Egyptians. Nor will this put a neceſſity upon both the oppoſite parties to ſhift for themſelves, and ſeek to ſupplant one another, but only it will call upon them (Aletheuein en agape) to ſeek and follow the truth in love, to attend in faithfulneſs each unto his own flock, and to adminiſter to them all the holy things of God, and their portion of food in due ſeaſon; and as for others, quietly to forbear them, and yet to inſtruct them with meekneſs, that are contrary minded, leaving it to Chriſt (in the uſe of all good means) to reveal his own truth in his own time, and mean while endeavoring to keep the unity of the ſpirit in the bond of peace, Phil. 3.15.16. Eph. 4.3.
To the 2d exception, that we take no courſe for the gaining, and healing, and calling in of ignorant and erroneous perſons, whom we refuſe to receive into our churches, and ſo exclude them from the remedy of church-diſcipline.
We conceive the receiving of them into our churches, would rather loſe and corrupt our churches, than gain and heal them. A little leaven laid in a lump of dough, will ſooner leaven the whole lump, than the whole lump will ſweeten it. We find it therefore ſafer to ſquare rough and unhewn ſtones before they be laid into the building, rather than to hammer and hew them when they lie unevenly in the building. And accordingly two means we uſe to gain and call in ſuch as are ignorant and ſcandalous.
1. The public miniſtry of the word, upon which they are invited by counſel, and required by wholeſome laws. And the word it is, which is the power of God to ſalvation, to the calling and winning of ſouls.
2. Private conference, and conviction by the elders, and other able brethren of the church, whom they do the more reſpectively hearken unto, when they ſee no hope of enjoying church-fellowſhip, or participation in the ſacraments for themſelves or their children, till they approve their judgments to be ſound and orthodox, and their lives ſubdued to ſome hope of a godly converſation. What can claſſical diſcipline, or excommunication itſelf do more in this caſe.
The third exception wrapeth up in it a three-fold domeſtical inconvenience, and each of them meet to be eſchewed. 1. Diſ-union in families between each relation. 2. Diſappointment of edification, for want of opportunity in the governors of families to take account of things heard by their children and ſervants. 3. Diſburſements of chargeable maintenance to the ſeveral churches, whereunto the ſeveral perſons of their families are joined.
All which inconveniencies either do not fall out in congregational churches, or are eaſily redreſſed; for none are orderly admitted into congregational churches, but ſuch as are well approved by good teſtimony to be duly obſervant of family-relation: or if any otherwiſe diſpoſed ſhould creep in, they are either orderly healed, or duly removed in a way of Chriſt. Nor are they admitted, unleſs they can give ſome good account of their profiting by ordinances, before the elders and brethren of the church, and much more to their parents and maſters. Godly, tutors in the univerſity can take an account of their pupils; and godly houſholders in the city can take an account of their children and ſervants, how they profit by the word they have heard in ſeveral churches, and that to the greater edification of the whole family, by the variety of ſuch adminiſtrations. Bees may bring more honey and wax into the hive, when they are not limited to one garden of flowers, but may fly abroad to many.
Nor is any charge expected from wives, children or ſervants to the maintenance of congregational churches, further than they be furniſhed with perſonal eſtates or livings, which may enable them to contribute of ſuch things as they have; and not of ſuch things as they have not. God accepteth not robbery for a ſacrifice. And though a godly houſholder may juſtly take himſelf bound in conſcience to contribute to any ſuch church, whereto his wife, or children, or ſervants do ſtand in relation, yet that will not aggravate the burthen of his charge no more than if they were received members of the ſame church whereto himſelf is related.
But why do we ſtand thus long to plead exemptions from exception? The Lord help all his faithful ſervants (whether preſbyterial or congregational) to judge and ſhame ourſelves before the Lord, for all our former compliances to greater enormities in church government, than are to be found either in the congregational or preſbyterial way; and then ſurely either the Lord will clear up his own will to us, and ſo frame and ſubdue us all to one mind and one way, (Ezek. 43.10.11.) or elſe we ſhall learn to bear one anothers burthens in a ſpirit of meekneſs. It will then doubtleſs be far from us, ſo to atteſt the diſcipline of Chriſt, as to deteſt the diſciples of Chriſt: ſo to contend for the ſeamleſs coat of Chriſt, as to crucify the living members of Chriſt; ſo to divide ourſelves about church-communion, as thro' breaches to open a wide gap for a deluge of anti-chriſtian, and profane malignity to ſwallow up both church and civil ſtate.
What ſhall we ſay more? Is difference of church order become the in-let of all the diſorders in the kingdom? Hath the Lord indeed left us to ſuch hardneſs of heart, that church-government ſhall become a ſnare to Zion (as ſometimes Moſes was to Egypt, Exod. 20.7.) that we cannot leave conteſting and contending about it, till the kingdom be deſtroyed? Did not the Lord Jeſus, when he dedicated his ſufferings for his church, and his alſo unto his father, make it his earneſt and only prayer for us in this world, that we all might be one in him? Joh. 17.20, 21, 22, 23. And it is poſſible that he (whom the Father heard always, Joh. 11.42.) ſhould not have this laſt moſt ſolemn prayer heard and granted? Or ſhall it be granted for all the ſaints elſewhere, and not for the ſaints in England, ſo that amongſt them diſ-union ſhall grow even about church union and communion? If it be poſſible for a little faith (ſo much as a grain of muſtard-ſeed) to remove a mountain, is it not poſſible for ſo much ſtrength of faith as it is, to be found in all the godly in the kingdom, to remove thoſe images of jealouſy, and to caſt thoſe ſtumbling blocks out of the way, which may hinder the free paſſage of brotherly love amongſt brethren? It's true indeed, the national covenant doth juſtly engage both parties faithfully to endeavor the utter extirpation of the antichriſtian hierarchy; and much more of all blaſphemies, hereſies and errors. Certainly, if congregational diſcipline be independent, from the inventions of men is it not much more independent from the deluſions of ſatan? What fellowſhip hath Chriſt with beliel? Light with darkneſs? Truth with error? The faithful Jews needed not the help of the Samaritans, to re-edify the temple of God; yea, they rejected their help when it was offered, Ezra. 4.1, 2, 3. And if the congregational way be a way of truth (as we believe) and if the brethren that walk in it be zealous of the truth, and hate every falſe way (as by the rule of their holy diſcipline they are inſtructed, 2 Joh. 10.11.) then verily there is no branch in the national covenant, that engageth the covenanters to abhor either the congregational churches or their way; which being duly adminiſtred, do no leſs effectually extirpate the anti-chriſtian hierarchy, and all blaſphemies, hereſies, and pernicious errors, than the other way of diſcipline doth, which is more generally and publickly received and ratified.
But the Lord Jeſus commune with all our hearts in ſecret, and he who is the king of his church, let him be pleaſed to exerciſe his kingly power in out ſpirits, that ſo his kingdom may come into our churches in purity and peace, AMEN.
END OF THE PREFACE.